Organofluorine Chemistry and Innovative Catalysis Paradigms
Research
Fluorinated molecules are all around us, in non-stick pans, flame-retardant materials, medicines, and agrochemicals. In pharmaceuticals and other bioactive compounds, adding fluorine can make a big difference: it can improve metabolic stability, bioavailability and change the molecule’s chemical behaviour. But there is a catch. Many of these compounds contain fluorinated units known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These are often biopersistent and can be toxic, raising serious environmental and health concerns. So why are these highly fluorinated compounds still so common? Mainly because they are much easier to make than compounds with just one or two strategically placed fluorine atoms. But this convenience comes at a cost.
Our research addresses these problems. We are a young team with a big vision: rethinking organofluorine chemistry. We are developing new ways to add fluorine more efficiently, selectively, and with less environmental impact — methods that could revolutionize how the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries build the molecules of tomorrow.
We also want to understand how much fluorination is needed to alter a molecule’s conformation, reactivity, and behaviour, and figure out where we can dial it back. This knowledge will guide the design of safer and more sustainable functional molecules.
1. Novel Fluorination Strategies
Nucleophilic fluorination offers one of the most sustainable routes to introducing fluorine into organic molecules, using naturally abundant fluoride sources. But in practice, this approach is limited by the low nucleophilicity and high solvation energy of fluoride, often requiring harsh conditions or hazardous reagents like HF. Our group develops new catalytic platforms that can unlock the potential of nucleophilic fluorination under mild, selective, and operationally simple conditions.
To do this, we are exploring alternative reactivity paradigms enabled by transition metal photocatalysis, using visible light as a clean and controllable energy source to drive reactions via excited-state pathways. This strategy allows us to bypass conventional reactivity limits and opens new doors for late-stage fluorination, orthogonal selectivity, and broader functional group toleranceWe intend to merge mechanistic insight with synthetic innovation, ensuring that the methods we develop are not only novel, but also robust, scalable, and broadly applicable.
2. Molecular Design Through Site-Selective Fluorination
Rethinking organofluorine chemistry not only requires new methods to introduce fluorine, but also a deeper understanding of the effect of site-specific fluorination on molecular properties. Even a single fluorine can profoundly impact a compound’s conformation, solubility, metabolic stability, or biological activity. However, these effects are highly context-dependent, and our understanding of them remains incomplete. In parallel with method development, we aim to deepen our knowledge of structure–activity relationships (SAR) in fluorinated molecules, particularly in well-defined and tuneable scaffolds.
By systematically investigating the impact of site-specific fluorination on physicochemical and conformational parameters, we seek to build a predictive framework for designing fluorinated molecules with tailored function. This research brings together elements of physical organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and computational modelling, and offers broad potential applications: from small-molecule drugs and agrochemicals to smart materials.
Ultimately, our goal is to provide not only new tools, but also new understanding, helping chemists across disciplines make smarter decisions when it comes to molecular design.
