Laboratory of Asymmetric Catalysis and Synthesis

The Laboratory of Asymmetric Catalysis and Synthesis (LCSA) at EPFL, led by Professor Nicolai Cramer, focuses on challenges in asymmetric metal-catalyzed reactions and the synthesis of bioactive natural products. The research team, comprising postdoctoral researchers and PhD students, works on developing new catalysts and ligands for enantioselective reactions, with a particular emphasis on transition metal-catalyzed C-H functionalization processes. By leveraging insights from mechanistic studies, the LCSA aims to maximize efficiency and selectivity in generating molecular complexities from simple feedstocks. The unit's research interests also extend to synthesizing bioactive molecules and complex natural products with pharmacological or agricultural properties.