The group of Chemistry of Functional Molecules is focused on the preparation and use of helicenes and their congeners. Recently, an original approach to helicene frameworks has been developed that is based on [2+2+2] cycloisomerization of aromatic triynes under transition metal catalysis. This approach represents a new paradigm for the non-photochemical preparation of helicenes and their substituted derivatives in an easy, convergent, and modular way. The methodology has matured to serve as a reliable and general synthetic tool providing tailor-made helically chiral targets.

An example of the helicene synthesis:

Selected compounds prepared recently:

Diastereoselective synthesis of helicene-like compounds:

Grant Support

Ministry of Industry and Trade/Zentiva
Chiral Syntheses in the Preparation of Active Pharmaceutical Substances, N° FI-IM/073
[ I. Starý (2004-2007) ]

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Program Barrande)
Synthesis and Study of Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Materials and Surfaces Modified by Chiral Helicenes, Reg. No. 2005-06-041-1
[ I. G. Stará (2005-2006) ]

Grant Agency of the Czech Republic
Study of Electron Flow in Functional π-Electron Systems: En Route to Molecular Electronic Devices, N° 203/06/1792
[ I. Starý (2005-2007) ]

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
Center for Biomolecules and Complex Molecular Systems, Reg. N° LC05A57
[ I. Starý (2005-2009) ]

Pico-Inside, FP6-2004-IST FET "Emerging Nanoelectronics", Reg. N° 15847 Computing Inside a Single Molecule Using Atomic Scale Technologies [ I. G. Stará (2005-2008) ]

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and NSF USA
Collaboration in the Field of Energy and Nanoscience: USA and Europe
[ I. Starý (2006-2008) ]

Collaboration

Dr. Dirk Blunk (Köln, Germany)
Prof. Lubomír Pospíšil (Prague, Czech Republic)
Prof. Gerald Dujardin (Orsay, France)
Dr. Jean-Olivier Durand (Montpellier, France)
Prof. Peter Eilbracht (Dortmund, Germany)
Dr. Barbara Heller (Rostock, Germany)
Prof. Sylvain Jugé (Dijon, France)
Prof. Ernst Meyer (Basel, Switzerland)
Prof. Josef Michl (Boulder, USA)
Prof. John Miller (Brookhaven, USA)
Dr. Luděk Rydvan, Zentiva (Prague, Czech Republic)
Prof. Richard Stephenson (Norwich, UK)
Prof. Marek Szymonski (Krakow, Poland)
Prof. Stephen Urquart (Sascatown, Canada)

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