University of Calgary

Dr. Brian A. Keay

 

Professor, Department of Chemistry
Vice Dean and Associate Dean (Research),  Faculty of Science

Research Homepage

Email: keay@ucalgary.ca

Telephone: 403-220-5354

Education :

M.Sc., 1979  University of Waterloo      
Ph.D., 1983 University of Waterloo
 
Research Interests
Research interests include the development of new chiral ligands, catalysts, and reagents for asymmetric transformations.  These new transformations are used as the key step(s) towards the synthesis of natural products exhibiting interesting biological activity.  In particular, the asymmetric palladium-catalyzed polyene cyclization is being investigated.  This reaction forms two or more rings with the simultaneous creation of stereogenic centres.  Asymmetric Heck reactions are being studied using a variety of heterocycles.  New C2-symmetric heteroaromatic biaryls are being designed and synthesized which contain a variety of functional groups that can act as ligands with metals (Pd, Ni, Ti, etc.) and Lewis acids (B, Al, Zn, Sn, etc.).   Current synthetic targets include the halenaquinone, vridin, drimane sequiterpenes, chiral spiro 1,3-amino-alcohol systems, and 3,3'-disubstituted BINAP derivatives.

Graduate Program