The Michael group is interested in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of organic and organometallic reactions and applying those mechanisms to the development of new catalytic methods for the construction of organic compounds. We use the tools of physical organic chemistry to understand unusual reactivity and modes of selectivity. Simultaneously, we use the mechanistic information gleaned from such studies to design new catalytic reactions that address unsolved problems in C-N and C-C bond formation.

Our current areas of interest are:

  1. Developing strategies to control and inhibit beta-hydride elimination in transition metal complexes, with a particular focus on C-N bond forming reactions.
  2. Understanding the principles behind successful stereocontrol in enantioselective reactions.
  3. Harnessing hypervalent main group chemistry (e.g. iodine(III), selenium(IV)) to activate and functionalize C-C multiple bonds.
  4. New strategies for the selective activation of C-H bonds.