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Dr. Steve Westcott photo.
Dr. Steve Westcott
BSc, PhD (Waterloo)

Professor,Canada Research Chair in Boron Chemistry

   
Office:
Barclay 213
Phone:
(506)364-2372/2351
Email:
swestcott@mta.ca
Discipline:
Inorganic Chemistry
Research Area:
Organometallics
   
Group Website (Wild Toads)
 
 
Research Interests (click here for further details)

Development of Novel Catalysts: A major focus in our lab is the development of novel zwitterionic metal complexes for their ability to catalyze a number of borylation reactions. Borylations are the addition of X-B bonds (X = H, B, Si, S, Ge, N) to unsaturated organics. Metal complexes containing the ligand [Bcat2]- are or particular interest owing to its ability to bind to metal via the arene rings of the catecholato groups.

 

 

Novel Boranes: A new project in our laboratory, we are designing a family of sterically hindered boranes to be used in catalyzed borylation reactions. All new boranes will also be examined for their ability to add to late metal complexes.

 

Biologically Active Boron Compounds: We have been preparing a number of novel boron compounds that have potential applications as antifungal, antibacterial and anticancer agents. Boron compounds are well known to display significant biological properties. For example, aminoboronic acids are very effective and reversible inhibitors of serine proteases. Spiroboronate ester compounds are being designed for their potential antifungal properties.

Spiro image.
 

Recent Publications

‘Metal catalysed hydroboration of vinyl sulfides, sulfoxides, sulfones, and sulfonates’ Webb, J. D.; Harrison, D. J.; Norman, D. W.; Blacquiere, J. M.; Vogels, C. M.; Decken, A.; Bates, C. G.; Venkataraman, D.; Baker*, R. T.; Westcott, S. A.* J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem, 2007, in press.

‘Catalytic alkene hydroboration mediated by cationic and formally zwitterionic rhodium(I) and iridium(I) derivatives of a P,N-substituted indene’ Cipot, J.; Vogels, C. M.; McDonald, R.; Westcott,* S. A.; Stradiotto, M.* Organometallics 2006, 25, 5965-5968.

Special Invited Issue Honouring Dr. A.J. Carty: "Rhodium(I) acetylacetonato complexes containing phosphinoalkynes as catalysts for the hydroboration of vinylarenes" C. M. Vogels, A. Decken, and S. A. Westcott. Can. J. Chem. 84, 146-153 (2006).

 
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