The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded Dr. Vladimir Gevorgyan $2,204,601 for his research on Novel Transition Metal Catalysis for Chemical Synthesis. Dr. Gevorgyan’s project focuses on developing a new platform for regio- and stereoselective functionalization of unactivated aliphatic C(sp³)–H bonds, which are key components in many complex pharmaceuticals and biologically active molecules.

Current methods often require pre-functionalized substrates and harsh conditions that limit efficiency and scope. Dr. Gevorgyan’s approach uses visible light and a novel transition metal–radical hybrid system to achieve these transformations under mild, oxidant-free conditions.

The primary objective of this project is to enable late-stage molecular modifications with precision, offering a general and scalable synthetic strategy. Long-term impacts of this project also include faster drug development and contribute to the fields of chemistry and biochemistry.