Research in the Yoon group focuses on the development of new reaction methods for organic synthesis. We are particularly interested in the use of catalysis as a strategy for increasing process efficiency, controlling reaction selectivity, and reducing the environmental impact of chemical synthesis. Representative project areas include:

• New Reactions of Oxaziridines. Oxaziridines are three-membered heterocycles composed of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon. We are developing transition metal-catalyzed processes that induce oxaziridines to react with organic substrates in a variety of useful transformations, including: aminohydroxylations, [3+2] cycloadditions, epoxidations, and amidations of aliphatic C-H bonds.
  
  
• Visible Light Photocatalysis. Visible light is a safe, inexpensive, an endlessly renewable reagent. Most organic compounds, however, absorb light only at short UV wavelengths that are relatively poorly emitted in the solar spectrum. We are investigating strategies to use transition metal photosensitizers that can catalyze interesting new photochemical reactions at long wavelengths of visible light that are abundant in the solar spectrum.
  
  
• Total synthesis of natural products. The ultimate goal of research in our group is the development of practical new methods for organic synthesis. The total synthesis of biologically active and architecturally interesting natural products represents the ultimate demonstration of the utility of new reactions and consequently constitutes a vital aspect of our research program. In addition, the challenges encountered in the course of a long multistep synthesis help to inform our approach to new reaction development.