Ramirez Group earns two grants from American Chemical Society
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (2/27/2025) – Department of Chemistry Assistant Professor Melissa Ramirez and her research group have been recently honored with two grants from the American Chemical Society (ACS). Funding from the ACS Green Chemistry Institute (GCI) Pharmaceutical Roundtable Ignition Grant and the ACS Sustainable Futures Early Career Postdoctoral-Faculty Bridge Grant will support Ramirez’s continued research into the development of sustainable methods for the synthesis of pharmaceutically-relevant small molecules as she builds her research group at the University of Minnesota.
The ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable Ignition Grant will support research that centers on the development of a copper-catalyzed method for synthesizing quaternary carbon centers — key structures in bioactive molecules like hyperforin and communesin C. Instead of relying on expensive and less environmentally friendly metals such as rhodium or palladium, Ramirez’s approach uses copper, which is cheaper, less toxic, and more sustainable. Her method uses both experimental and computational techniques to transform ketones into more complex molecules through a series of well-controlled chemical steps. The end goal of this work is to create a versatile platform for discovering and designing new pharmaceuticals.
The group’s second award – the Early Career Postdoctoral-Faculty Bridge Grant – will help add another postdoctoral associate to the team for up to two years. Research supported by this grant will expand the fundamental toolset of green chemistry through the development of sustainable methods for asymmetric carbonylation in the Ramirez lab. Carbonylation reactions represent a powerful class of transformations in organic synthesis, enabling construction of the carbon framework of diverse organic molecules. Current methods for enantioselective carbonylation are typically unsustainable, requiring transition metal catalysts such as Pd- or Rh-containing catalysts and the use of high temperatures or pressures, which can pose safety concerns and can lead to racemization of newly formed stereocenters.
"Funding from the ACS will enable the development of green methods for enantioselective quaternary carbon center formation and asymmetric carbonylation in my group. Key to the reaction development process will be the application of density functional theory (DFT) calculations in reaction discovery and optimization to help with the development of greener methods for C–C and C–heteratom bond formation and the minimization of waste. The application of robust metrics developed by the ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable will also be applied to facilitate decision making in the development of these methods." – Prof. Melissa Ramirez
Ramirez joined the UMN Department of Chemistry in January 2025. Her lab – currently made up of five graduate students, one postdoctoral associate, and one undergraduate student – develops experimental and computational approaches to address challenges associated with efficiency in the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant small molecules. This work aims to develop advanced synthetic methods in the areas of main group catalysis, asymmetric organocatalysis, and transition metal photochemistry through a blend of experimental and computational techniques.
About ACS Ignition Grants
The GCIPR Grants team Ignition Grants program launched in 2016 to support high-risk, high-reward projects that aim to accelerate progress in green chemistry technologies by incentivizing innovation. Ignition grants currently provide recipients with $40,000 over six months. Award winners work closely with appropriate GCIPR members depending on the topic.
This year’s winners exemplify the spirit of innovation and sustainability. Their projects span cutting-edge catalysis, biocatalysis, and enzyme engineering, all aimed at transforming chemical synthesis for a greener future.
ACS Sustainable Futures Initiative Grant Program
From the ACS Sustainability Grants website
The ACS Campaign for a Sustainable Future aims to advance chemistry innovations to address the challenges articulated in the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. This multifaceted initiative will have lasting impact on how we conduct research, how we teach chemistry, and how we collaborate globally. The initiative begins with a campaign to fully engage the chemistry community in designing solutions to the grand challenges of sustainability, reimagining how we teach and practice chemistry with a sustainability focus, and raising public awareness among about chemistry’s role in a sustainable future. One of the key initiatives of the Campaign is a grant program, which aims to provide catalytic funding for early and mid-career faculty interested in developing a research and teaching portfolio that contributes directly to developing transformative chemistries that address Sustainable Development Goals.
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