UC Berkeley

The development of one-pot reactions is an approach to chemistry that seeks to address shortcomings of traditional, sequential multi-step synthetic strategies. One-pot reactions reduce the number of set-up and purification steps in a synthesis and thereby shorten the process and save on the resources needed to reach the final desired compound. Moreover, one-pot reactions can utilize intermediates that cannot be isolated and used with a multi-pot strategy. In contrast to traditional synthetic approaches, Nature uses "one-pot reactions" almost exclusively; in other words, biological reaction pathways occur in an open, complex and dynamic environment in which multiple reactions are performed in the same vessel (i.e. cell) en route to final products. Nature's approach has inspired us to develop new materials and systems to enable one-pot reactions in the lab. In particular, we have invented and utilized means of site-isolating reactive components to enable complex reaction cascades and demonstrated a unique method to direct a one-pot reaction without relying on traditional functional group chemoselectivity.