For example C-F bonds are particularly susceptible to stereoelectronic effects. Thus fluorine can be used as a design tool in tuning molecules for particular purposes. This leads us into medicinal chemistry where we are designing specific drug targets. These projects involve the synthesis of isotopically labelled compounds as well as novel enzyme purification. These projects also lead us towards designing inhibitors of pathways specific to bacteria in order to generate novel antibiotics.
Organic synthesis is the key skill in the research group.
Often the projects require the synthesis of selectively fluorinated or specifically isotopically labelled compounds for biological evaluation. In some projects protein purification and the development of enzyme assays is required. We also use HPLC and GC-MS on a routine basis. Recent Publications 1. Observation of the fluorine amide gauche effect D O'Hagan, C. Bilton, J. A. K. Howard, L. Knight, D. J. Tozer J. Chem.