Research in the Morrill group is focused in the field of Synthetic Organic Chemistry. We are particularly interested in exploring new frontiers in organocatalysis, employing dual catalytic methods to rapidly generate molecular complexity, forming densely functionalised molecules in a stereodefined fashion. The multi-step, one-pot nature of this dual catalysis approach represents progress towards more sustainable chemistry. The development of novel organocatalysts, especially those that operate via unusual or previously unknown modes of activation, represents another significant area of interest. The utility and impact of our developed methodologies will ultimately be exemplified through its application in the total synthesis of natural products and molecules of biological significance.
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Louis was born in Wick on the north coast of Scotland and obtained his MChem degree (1st Class Honours) from the University of St Andrews, including a one-year industrial placement at AstraZeneca (Charnwood). He completed his Masters research project in 2010 with Professor Andrew Smith.
Staying at St Andrews, he completed his Ph.D. under the direction of Professor Andrew Smith entitled "Organocatalytic Functionalisation of Carboxylic Acids Using Isothioureas", funded by a prestigious Carnegie-Caledonian Scholarship (2010-2014). This work expanded the utility of isothioureas in Lewis base catalysis and demonstrated the first intermolecular bond-forming reaction of carboxylic acid-derived ammonium enolates
For his postdoctoral research, he moved to UC Berkeley to join the research group of Professor Richmond Sarpong, entering the world of complex molecule synthesis. Specifically, he was part of a team that developed highly efficient and concise total syntheses of diterpenoid alkaloid natural products. In 2015, he was appointed as a University Research Fellow in Synthetic Organic Chemistry at Cardiff University and began his independent research career. He is specifically interested in exploring new frontiers in organocatalysis.
2020
- Santi, N., Morrill, L. C. and Luk, L. Y. P. 2020. Streptavidin-hosted organocatalytic aldol addition. Molecules 25(10), article number: 2457. (10.3390/molecules25102457)
- Basak, S.et al. 2020. B(C6F5)3-catalyzed direct C3 alkylation of indoles and oxindoles. ACS Catalysis 10(8), pp. 4835-4840. (10.1021/acscatal.0c01141)
- Reed-Berendt, B. G., Mast, N. and Morrill, L. C. 2020. Manganese-catalyzed one-pot conversion of nitroarenes into N-methylarylamines uising methanol. European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2020(9), pp. 1136-1140. (10.1002/ejoc.201901854)
- Nicholson, W. I.et al. 2020. N-Heterocyclic carbene acyl anion organocatalysis by ball-milling. ChemSusChem 13(1), pp. 131-135. (10.1002/cssc.201902346)
2019
- Allen, B. D. W.et al. 2019. Manganese-catalyzed electrochemical deconstructive chlorination of cycloalkanols via alkoxy radicals. Organic Letters 21(22), pp. 9241-9246. (10.1021/acs.orglett.9b03652)
- Latham, D. E.et al. 2019. One-pot conversion of allylic alcohols to α-methyl ketones via iron-catalyzed isomerization-methylation. Organic Letters 21(19), pp. 7914-7918. (10.1021/acs.orglett.9b02900)
- Polidano, K., Williams, J. M. J. and Morrill, L. C. 2019. Iron-catalyzed borrowing hydrogen β-C(sp3)-methylation of alcohols. ACS Catalysis 9(9), pp. 8575-8580. (10.1021/acscatal.9b02461)
- Dambatta, M.et al. 2019. Iron‐catalyzed borrowing hydrogen C‐Alkylation of oxindoles with alcohols. ChemSusChem 12(11), pp. 2345-2349. (10.1002/cssc.201900799)
- Reed-Berendt, B. G., Polidano, K. and Morrill, L. C. 2019. Recent advances in homogeneous borrowing hydrogen catalysis using earth-abundant first row transition metals. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 17(7), pp. 1595-1607. (10.1039/C8OB01895B)
- Reed-Berendt, B. G. and Morrill, L. C. 2019. Manganese-catalyzed N-alkylation of sulfonamides using alcohols. Journal of Organic Chemistry 84(6), pp. 3715-3724. (10.1021/acs.joc.9b00203)
2018
- Nodling, A. R.et al. 2018. Reactivity and selectivity of iminium organocatalysis improved by a protein host. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 57(38), pp. 12478-12482. (10.1002/anie.201806850)
- Khan, I.et al. 2018. FLP-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of silyl enol ethers. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 57(38), pp. 12356-12359. (10.1002/anie.201808800)
- Ayres, J. N.et al. 2018. Synthesis and reactivity of N-allenyl cyanamides. Organic Letters 20(17), pp. 5282-5285. (10.1021/acs.orglett.8b02225)
- Polidano, K.et al. 2018. Iron-catalyzed methylation using the borrowing hydrogen approach. ACS Catalysis 8, pp. 6440-6445. (10.1021/acscatal.8b02158)
- Kou, K. G. M.et al. 2018. A benzyne-insertion approach to hetisine-type diterpenoid alkaloids: synthesis of cossonidine (davisine). Journal of the American Chemical Society 140(26), pp. 8105-8109. (10.1021/jacs.8b05043)
2017
- Polidano, K.et al. 2017. Exploring tandem ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen transfer and SNAr chemistry. Organic Letters 19(24), pp. 6716-6719. (10.1021/acs.orglett.7b03441)
- Khan, I.et al. 2017. Frustrated Lewis Pair (FLP)-catalyzed hydrogenation of Aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts and sequential Organo-FLP catalysis. ACS Catalysis 7(11), pp. 7748-7752. (10.1021/acscatal.7b03077)
- Pflueger, J. J.et al. 2017. Magnesiate addition/ring-expansion strategy to access the 6-7-6 tricyclic core of hetisine-type C20-diterpenoid alkaloids. Organic Letters 19(17), pp. 4632-4635. (10.1021/acs.orglett.7b02260)
- Ayres, J.et al. 2017. Deoxycyanamidation of alcohols with N-Cyano-N-phenyl-p-methylbenzenesulfonamide (NCTS). Organic Letters 19(14), pp. 3835-3838. (10.1021/acs.orglett.7b01710)
2016
- Ayres, J., Ling, K. B. and Morrill, L. 2016. N-Cyanation of secondary amines using Trichloroacetonitrile. Organic Letters 18(21), pp. 5528-5531. (10.1021/acs.orglett.6b02775)
- Van, K. N.et al. 2016. Catalytic generation of ammonium enolates and related tertiary amine-derived intermediates: applications, mechanism and stereochemical models (n→π*). In: Vedejs, E. and Denmark, S. E. eds. Lewis Base Catalysis in Organic Synthesis. Wiley, pp. 527-654., (10.1002/9783527675142.ch13)
- Smith, A. D.et al. 2016. Enantioselective synthesis of 3,5,6-substituted dihydropyranones and dihydropyridinones using isothiourea-mediated catalysis. Chemistry - An Asian Journal 11(3), pp. 395-400. (10.1002/asia.201500907)
2015
- Smith, S. R.et al. 2015. Asymmetric isothiourea-catalysed formal [3+2] cycloadditions of ammonium enolates with oxaziridines. Chemistry - A European Journal 21(29), pp. 10530-10536. (10.1002/chem.201501271)
- Millet, A., Baudoin, O. and Morrill, L. 2015. Palladium-catalyzed β -Selective C(sp3)-H Arylation of N-Boc-Piperidines. Organic Syntheses 92, pp. 76-90. (10.15227/orgsyn.092.0076)
- Campbell, C. D.et al. 2015. Regiodivergent Lewis base-promoted O- to C-carboxyl transfer of furanyl carbonates. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 13(10), pp. 2895-2900. (10.1039/C4OB02629B)
- Morrill, L.et al. 2015. Isothiourea-catalyzed Michael Addition to unsaturated trichloromethyl ketones. Synfacts 11(3), article number: 315. (10.1055/s-0034-1380058)
2014
- Morrill, L.et al. 2014. Organocatalytic Michael addition–lactonisation of carboxylic acids using α,β-unsaturated trichloromethyl ketones as α,β-unsaturated ester equivalents. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 12(44), pp. 9016-9027. (10.1039/C4OB01788A)
- Morrill, L. and Smith, A. D. 2014. Organocatalytic Lewis base functionalisation of carboxylic acids, esters and anhydrides via C1-ammonium or azolium enolates. Chemical Society Reviews 43(17), pp. 6214-6226. (10.1039/C4CS00042K)
- De Savi, C.et al. 2014. Efficacious inhaled PDE4 inhibitors with low emetic potential and long duration of action for the treatment of COPD. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 57(11), pp. 4661-4676. (10.1021/jm5001216)
- Morrill, L. C.et al. 2014. Isothiourea-mediated asymmetric functionalization of 3-alkenoic acids. Journal of Organic Chemistry 79(4), pp. 1640-1655. (10.1021/jo402591v)
- Smith, A. D.et al. 2014. Lewis base catalyzed asymmetric formal [2+2] cycloadditions. In: Nishiwaki, N. ed. Methods and Applications of Cycloaddition Reactions in Organic Syntheses. Wiley, pp. 89-114., (10.1002/9781118778173.ch03)
- Morrill, L.et al. 2014. 2-Arylacetic anhydrides as ammonium enolate precursors. Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 12(4), pp. 624-636. (10.1039/C3OB41869C)
2013
- Stark, D. G.et al. 2013. Isothiourea-mediated one-pot synthesis of functionalized pyridines. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 52(44), pp. 11642-11646. (10.1002/anie.201306786)
- Davies, A. T.et al. 2013. Stereospecific Asymmetric N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC)-Catalyzed Redox Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl Dihydropyranones and Mechanistic Insights. Journal of Organic Chemistry 78(18), pp. 9243-9257. (10.1021/jo401433q)
- Morrill, L.et al. 2013. Isothiourea-mediated asymmetric Michael-lactonisation of trifluoromethylenones: a synthetic and mechanistic study. Chemical Science 4(11), pp. 4146-4155. (10.1039/c3sc51791h)
- Stark, D. G.et al. 2013. Isothiourea-catalyzed pyridine synthesis. Synfacts 9(12), article number: 1344. (10.1055/s-0033-1340279)
2012
- Morrill, L.et al. 2012. Catalytic asymmetric α-amination of carboxylic acids using isothioureas. Chemical Science 3(6), pp. 2088-2093. (10.1039/c2sc20171b)
- Joannesse, C.et al. 2012. Isothiourea-mediated asymmetric O- to C-carboxyl transfer of oxazolyl carbonates: structure-selectivity profiles and mechanistic studies. Chemistry - a European Journal 18(8), pp. 2398-2408. (10.1002/chem.201102847)
2011
- Woods, P. A.et al. 2011. Isothiourea-catalysed asymmetric C-acylation of silyl ketene acetals. Chemistry - a European Journal 17(39), pp. 11060-11067. (10.1002/chem.201100995)
- Belmessieri, D.et al. 2011. Organocatalytic functionalization of carboxylic acids: isothiourea-catalyzed asymmetric intra- and intermolecular Michael Addition−lactonizations. Journal of the American Chemical Society 133(8), pp. 2714-2720. (10.1021/ja109975c)
- Smith, A.et al. 2011. Isothiourea-catalyzed asymmetric O- to C-carboxyl transfer of furanyl carbonates. Synthesis (Stuttgart) 2011(12), pp. 1865-1879. (10.1055/s-0030-1260602)
- Belmessieri, D.et al. 2011. Asymmetric Michael Addition-Lactonization of Carboxylic Acids. Synfacts 2011(4), pp. 436. (10.1055/s-0030-1259622)
2010
- Aitken, R. A.et al. 2010. Unexpected rearrangement leading to formation of a 1,3-Bis(triphenylphosphonio)prop-1-en-3-idyl carboxylate. European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010(17), pp. 3211-3214. (10.1002/ejoc.201000143)
- Woods, P. A.et al. 2010. Isothiourea-mediated stereoselectiveC-acylation of silyl ketene acetals. Organic Letters 12(11), pp. 2660-2663. (10.1021/ol1008747)
2008
- Smith, A.et al. 2008. N-heterocyclic carbene catalysed oxygen-to-carbon carboxyl transfer of indolyl and benzofuranyl carbonates. Synthesis (Stuttgart) 2008(17), pp. 2805-2818. (10.1055/s-2008-1077890)
Lecturer on the following courses:
CH4103 Foundations of Organic and Biological Chemistry (*New Course*)
CH3404 Asymmetric Synthesis of Pharmaceuticals and Natural Products - Organocatalysis (*New Course*)
CHT402 Recent Advances in Homogeneous Catalysis - Organocatalysis CDT Workshop (*New Course*)
Leading tutorials on the following courses:
CH4103 Foundations of Organic and Biological Chemistry
CH3104 Introduction to the Solid State & Applications of Spectroscopy
CH3105 Techniques and Methods in Chemistry
CH3202 Applications of Molecular Spectroscopy
CH3203 Organic Chemistry of Multiply Bonded Systems
CH3303 Advanced Organic Chemistry
Project supervisor for the following options:
CH3325 Final Year B.Sc. project
CH3401 Final Year MChem project
Research in the Morrill group is focused in the field of Synthetic Organic Chemistry. We are particularly interested in exploring new frontiers in organocatalysis, employing dual catalytic methods to rapidly generate molecular complexity, forming densely functionalised molecules in a stereodefined fashion. The multi-step, one-pot nature of this dual catalysis approach represents progress towards more sustainable chemistry. The development of novel organocatalysts, especially those that operate via unusual or previously unknown modes of activation, represents another significant area of interest. The utility and impact of our developed methodologies will ultimately be exemplified through its application in the total synthesis of natural products and molecules of biological significance. Research in the Morrill group will be underway from October 2015 and areas of interest will include:
- The exploration of new frontiers in organocatalysis via the productive merger of organocatalysis with other transition metal, organometallic or biochemical modes of activation.
- The development of novel Lewis acid organocatalysts for a variety of organic transformations.
- Expanding the utility of neglected, yet readily available and cheap precursors in organocatalytic transformations.