Hjemmeside: http://folk.uib.no/nkjhn/
Stilling: professor
Telefon: 55 58 34 52
Mobiltelefon: 951 44 765 SMS
E-post: Hans.Bjorsvik@kj.uib.no
Besøksadresse: Realfagbygget, Allégt. 41
Romnummer: 3016
Organic synthesis and homogeneous catalysis is the primary focus of Bjørsvik research group. The main goal of the most of the research in progress in the group are to develop new and better catalysts and cataytic processes, focusing both on improvement of synthetic processes and methods as well as the design of new ligands with the goal to improved selectivity and activity of the final catalyst.
The group are currently working mainly with the two transition metals ruthenium and palladium with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) as the most important activating and stabilizing ligand. This work includes also efforts to secure the NHC ligand with a pendant arm to the surface of polymer particles, that can be of nanometer to micrometer size.
In addition to the development of catalysts, we develop new pathways in which transition metal catalysis are included as an important part of total synthesis. We are particularly interested in the synthesis of N-heterocyclic compounds with biological activity and various antioxidants.
The synthesis of N-heterocycles
Within this research activity, the molecular scaffolds of particular interests are benzo[c]cinnolines, carbazoles, and imidazoles. A recent NFR report discloses a summary of some of our recent works within this activity. The imidazoles are of particular interest as such compounds can be used as precursors for NHC ligands used in organometallics for various catalysts, for example for olefin metathesis, Suzuki cross-coupling, and oxidation catalysts.
Oxidation and Free Radicals in Organic Synthesis
Free organic radicals for synthetic applications, development of green chemistry methods for the oxidation reactions in organic synthesis has been an long standing research activity in the research group. This research activity involves also studies of antioxidants and development of new total syntheses of such compounds.
Flow Chemistry
Development and investigation of continuous flow organic synthesis reactor systems is an important long standing project in the group. We have successfully developed a novel approach for flow chemistry that is realized in a milli-reactor system that we have named multi-jet oscillation disk (MJOD) milli reactor system. A patent application was submitted (2005) for this system, and a company that was named Fluens Synthesis AS was established. See the web site for the Fluens Synthesis company for more information.
- Organic Chemistry and Synthesis
- Oxidation and antioxidants
- Free radical chemistry
- NHC ligands and transition metals for catalysis
- Flow chemistry technologies and flow synthesis
- Multivariate mathematical modelling and statistical design for investigating and optimization
- Fiber optical spectroscopy for reaction monitoring
Recent publications
Raffaele Spaccini, Anna Tsoukala, Lucia Liguori, Carlo Punta and Hans-René Bjørsvik.* An optimized process to 10-bromo-1-decanol. Organic Process Research and Development. 2010, 14, 1215–1220.
Giovanni Occhipinti, Lucia Liguori, Anna Tsoukala, Hans-René Bjørsvik.* A switchable oxidation process leading to two various versatile pharmaceutical intermediates. Organic Process Research and Development.2010, 14, 1379–1384.
Regular courses
- KJEM131 Organic Synthesis and Analysis
- KJEM232 Experimental organic synthesis
- KJEM233 Organic mass spectrometry (past)
- KJEM335 Physical Organic Chemistry (past)
Special Topics
- Organometallic reactions in organic synthesis
- N-heterocyclic carbenes in synthesis
- Heterocyclic chemistry
- Experimental Design and Modelling in Organic Synthesis
- Free Radical Reactions in Synthetic Organic Chemistry
A thesis project in organic synthesis will deal with the development of one or more steps of a synthesis leading either to a key intermediate or to a target molecule of a total synthesis. Moreover, other investigations may be required in order to support a proposal for a reaction mechanisms.
The synthetic task can be: (1) investigation of an one step reaction, (2) design and development of a multi-step synthesis of either academic or commercial industrial interest, or (3) a study that involves investigation of a synthetic transformation where the goal is to maximize the profit of an industrial synthesis, improve the yield and / or the selectivity. Target molecule or intermediate can be an important intermediate products or preferably a biologically active compound that can be used as a pharmaceutical chemical. Usually, the target molecule, or model molecule is a N-heterocyclic natural compound.
A project in advanced spectroscopy and organic synthesis will start out with searching the chemical literature and studies of previous research work. This is followed by introductory experiments in the laboratory, where techniques for synthesis laboratory will be used (performing reaction under different conditions, filtration, drying, extraction, crystallization, distillation, flash chromatography, thin layer chromatography, etc.). Of instrumental analytical methods, different chromatographic methods such as GC, GC-MS and HPLC can be necessary for quantification.
Various spectroscopy and spectrometry are of paramount importance in this project, and will involve the utilization of mass spectrometry (MS), infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR and 13C NMR and other nucleuses if necessary) will be used for identification and structure elucidation of target products and eventually side- and by-products that have been produced.
Keywords: Synthesis, N-heterocyclic compounds, natural products, metal organic reactions, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS, FT-IR, fiber optical raman, fiber optical Near-IR, reaction monitoring