Ruggero Curci
Professor:
Chemistry
Phone:
Phone 2: 401 863 2256
ruggero_curci@brown.edu
Our studies are directed toward investigating the properties and the reactivity of new peroxide species which allow selective oxidations. In recent times, our efforts have focused on a new class of reactive organic peroxides that are powerful oxidants and have great potential for synthetic purposes.
Interests
Synthesis and Reactivity of Organic and Inorganic Peroxides; oxidation mechanisms and catalysis; reactive peroxide intermediates. Our studies are directed toward investigating the properties and the reactivity of new peroxide species which allow selective oxidations. In recent times, our efforts have focused on a new class of reactive organic peroxides that are powerful oxidants and have great potential for synthetic purposes. This is the family of dioxiranes R2CO2, i.e. the smallest ring peroxide species containing carbon. We have produced kinetic, 18O-labeling, reactivity and stereochemical data which stringently indicate that dioxiranes are generated in the reaction of potassium peroxomonosulfate (caroate) with ketones. Then, the feat of isolation of a few dioxiranes from the caroate/ketone system allowed authentic representatives of this family of peroxides to become fully characterized spectroscopically by a combination of techniques, including 17O NMR. The availability of dioxiranes in the isolated as well as in situ form has spurred an intensive utilization of these powerful oxidants to carry out a variety of synthetically useful oxidations under mild conditions. The efficient oxyfunctionalization of simple, unactivated C-H bonds of alkanes under extremely mild conditions undoubtedly counts to date among the highlights of dioxirane chemistry; its features are often biomimetic. Indeed, oxidations of non-activated alkane C-H bonds that are highly selective pertain to a few biological processes which are hard to imitate. To shed light on the origin of these selective oxidations in detail undoubtedly poses a stimulating challenge for our group and for the community of mechanistic chemists.
Awards
Director, CNR (Italian Research Council) Center "MISO" (New Synthetic Methods), 1988
Gold medalist, Italian Chemical Society (SCI) – Award "Mangini" for Organic Synthesis, 2000
Affiliations
Italian Chemical Society, from 1965 to present
American Chemical Society, from 1966 to present
Member of the Puglia Academy of Sciences (Italy)
Funded Research
Research supported by the following entities:
Italian Research Council, (CNR, Rome)
Italian Ministry of Education (MURST, Rome)
The University of Bari
Industrial support from companies based in Italy
