Abstract:

The synthesis of small molecules and biologics using polarity reversal (umpolung) strategies has the potential to transform drug discovery by tapping into previously underexplored reagents and mechanisms. In this lecture, I will present our research on the use of umpolung methods to build and functionalize small molecules, carbohydrates, peptides, and proteins. Specifically, I will discuss the reactions of anomeric nucleophiles, their stereoretentive transformations, and our recent studies with AlaM reagents, which have led to broadly applicable methods in preparative carbohydrate/peptide chemistry. Our translational studies have also shown the potential of these strategies to generate new anti-infective leads, underscoring their significance in advancing drug discovery. In broader terms, our work highlights the importance of polarity reversal strategies as a vehicle for chemical innovations and the potential for these strategies to enable the development of novel therapeutics.

About the Speaker:

Maciej Walczak received his undergraduate degree (maxima cum laude) from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland. In 2003 he started his graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh, where he worked on the synthesis and reactions of strained carbocycles. After graduating in 2009, he moved to New York as a Brodeur Foundation postdoctoral fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where he was involved in the synthesis of glycoproteins, anticancer vaccines, and antimetastatic agents. In August 2013 he started his independent career at the University of Colorado Boulder as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2020.