CHEM 760/7600 - Transition Metal Catalyzed Reactions in Organic Synthesis
Semester: Fall 2026
Professor: D. Schipper | Discipline: Organic | Campus: WaterlooDescription
The goal of organic synthesis is to efficiently create valuable and interesting molecules. Towards this goal, modern research efforts seek to discover and invent powerful chemical reactions that make new bonds that are difficult or impossible to form using traditional methods. This course will cover how metals can be used to perform such reactions. An emphasis will be made on the use of homogeneous complexes of late transition metals as catalysts. Basic concepts of organometallic reactivity will be introduced followed by a description of modern topics including palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling, asymmetric hydrogenation, olefin metathesis, and more.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course students should be able to…
| Analyze Structure and Reactivity – Apply fundamental organometallic principles—including electron counting, oxidation states, and dn configurations—to predict the geometry and stability of metal complexes. |
| Elucidate Reaction Mechanisms – Deconstruct complex catalytic cycles into elementary steps—such as oxidative addition, migratory insertion, and reductive elimination—to propose plausible mechanisms |
| Assess Catalyst Performance – Evaluate the steric and electronic effects of ligands/catalysts as well as substrates to troubleshoot reaction failures and suggest changes for improved catalyst architectures for challenging transformations requiring high chemoselectivity. |
| Design Synthetic Strategies – Construct synthetic routes for complex organic molecules (e.g., pharmaceuticals and natural products) by selecting appropriate metal-catalyzed transformations, including Cross-Coupling (Suzuki, Heck, Stille), Olefin Metathesis, and C-H activation. |
Materials
Note: Any prices provided in course outlines are best estimates based on recent online prices and do not include shipping or taxes. Prices may vary between retailers.
This course has no additional costs for students.
Readings
| Title / Name | Notes / Comments | Required | Used Versions Allowed | Price (CAD) |
| Course notes available on LEARN | Required | No | 0 | |
| Organotransition Metal Chemistry: From Bonding to Catalysis. John Hartwig, University Science Books, 2010. | Optional / Supplemental | No | ||
| The Organometallic Chemistry of the Transition Metals. Robert Crabtree, John Wiley & Sons, 2005. | Optional / Supplemental | No | ||
| Transition Metals in the Synthesis of Organic Molecules. Louis Hegadus and Björn Söderber, University Science Books, 2010. | Optional / Supplemental | No |
The course is based off of numerous sources. Lecture notes will be made available on the course website. The above textbooks are useful but non-mandatory
Technology
| Name of Technology | Notes / Comments | Required | URL (student access) | Price (CAD) |
| LEARN | used for deploying all course content and online assessments | Required | https://learn.uwaterloo.ca | 0 |
Evaluation
TBA
Lab/Project
Section 1: Introduction to Transition Metal Catalysis
Section 2: Reactions of Organometallics
Section 3: The Cross-Coupling Reaction
Section 4: C-N coupling and Ligand Design
Section 5: Beyond Cross-Coupling
Section 6: Homogeneous Hydrogenation
Section 7: Metathesis
Section(s) 8+: Other content if time allows
Schedule
- Tue: - in
- Thu: - in
