Chemistry Faculty Research

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UVM Chemistry Research: Stephen Waters

Stephen P. Waters

Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Assistant Professor

Stephen.Waters@uvm.edu
phone: 802-656-0274
office: Cook Rm A330

Dr. Waters received his Ph.D. in 2004 from the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Professor Marisa C. Kozlowski. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York under the mentorship of Professor Samuel J. Danishefsky. Dr. Waters joined the faculty at the University of Vermont in 2007.

The mission of my laboratory is to address new challenges in organic chemistry through contributions to the areas of synthetic strategy and methods development. Attention is given to the synthesis of natural products with potential therapeutic value.

The challenges associated with total synthesis test the limits of our analytical and technical skills, providing a vehicle through which the broader field of organic chemistry is advanced. While Nature continues to yield an array of structurally diverse compounds, our research endeavors will target those compounds that foster innovative synthetic design. When possible, we seek the biosynthetic origins of these targets to guide our efforts. Our particular interests are founded in strategies for the construction of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic systems - a motif common to both naturally occurring alkaloids and a large number of pharmaceutical commodities.

High priority is given to natural products whose profiles invite new opportunities for collaborative, interdisciplinary studies with specialists equipped to advance the program beyond the level of chemical synthesis. The long-term goal of the program is the identification of those compounds best suited for candidacy into advanced biological settings.

Selected Publications

Waters, S. P.; Fennie, M. W.; Kozlowski, M. C. "Investigation of a Convergent Route to Purpuromycin: Benzofuran Formation vs. Spiroketalization" Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 3243-3246.

Waters, S. P.; Fennie, M. W.; Kozlowski, M. C. "Convergent Route to the Purpuromycin Bisphenolic Spiroketal: Hydrogen Bonding Control of Spiroketalization Stereochemistry" Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 5409-5413.

Waters, S. P.; Tian, Y.; Li, Y-M.; Danishefsky, S. J. "Total Synthesis of (-)-Scabronine G, an Inducer of Neurotrophic Factor Production" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 13514-13515.

Waters, S. P.; Skudlarek, J. W.; Evans, C. A.; Kozlowski, M. C. "Computer Aided Design of Chiral Ligands. Part III. A Novel Ligand for Asymmetric Allylation Designed Using Computational Techniques" Org. Lett. 2002, 4, 4391-4393.

Waters, S. P.; Kozlowski, M. C. "Synthesis of the Isocoumarin Portion of the Rubromycins" Tetrahedron Lett. 2001, 42, 3567-3570.

Last modified March 31 2008 09:25 PM