Alois Fürstner about his lecture “Catalysis for Synthesis – Concepts and Scrutiny”:
“Despite their thermodynamic stability, the high kinetic reactivity of carbon-carbon triple bonds opens promising gateways into many useful catalytic transformations. This lecture intends to summarize some recent contributions from our laboratory. After a short review of our work in the area of alkyne metathesis, I will focus on some unconventional ways to harness the reactivity of various acetylene derivatives. This includes the use of carbophilic Lewis acids based on Pt(+2) or Au(+1), as well as the first examples of ruthenium-catalyzed trans-hydrogenation, trans-hydroboration as well as trans-hydrostannation reactions of internal alkynes. The organometallic and mechanistic aspects of these transformations will be discussed in some detail. Selected applications to natural product synthesis are meant to showcase the current state of development.”

The Ernst Schering Foundation supports the Bohlmann Lecture in order to strengthen the international networking of scientists and to make renowned experts visible as role models for young scientists. Moreover, the Lecture makes it possible for a broader public to learn about the latest scientific findings.

The lecture will be followed by the award ceremony of the Schering Prize 2016. The 5,000-euro prize is given for outstanding dissertations in chemistry and is also funded by the Ernst Schering Foundation. This year’s prize winner is Dr. Moritz Malischewski.