Patricia Z. Musacchio
PhD
Research Interests
Small molecule synthesis; organic methods development; radical and carbocation chemistry; photochemistry; C-H functionalization; organometallic chemistry
Professional Appointments
- Assistant Professor, 2024-present, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
- Assistant Professor, 2019-2024, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
Education
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2017-2019, University of California, Berkeley, College of Chemistry, Berkeley, CA; American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship, Novartis-Berkeley Center for Proteomics and Chemistry Technologies
- PhD, Organic Chemistry, 2017, Princeton University, Department of Chemistry, Princeton, NJ
- BS, Chemistry, 2012, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Chemistry, Austin, TX
Awards and Honors
| 2023 | Thieme Journal Chemistry Award |
| 2022 | NIH MIRA Outstanding Investigator Award |
| 2022 | ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator Award |
| 2019 | American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship |
| 2016-2017 | Bristol-Meyers Squibb Graduate Research Fellowship |
| 2012 | University of Texas at Austin Distinguished Scholar |
Research Summary
The Musacchio group works on reaction development within the field of organic chemistry. We believe in the power of chemical transformations to solve complex societal issues, and thus, see to develop reactions that can: 1) accelerate drug discovery efforts, 2) allow chemists to study and manipulate biological systems, and 3) modify polymers for their synthesis and degradation. We aim for our reaction methods to not only achieve valuable bond formations, but also to be: 1) mild in energy format (visible light, ambient temperature, electrochemistry), 2) use abundant reagent classes, thereby making them 3) amenable to library synthesis efforts. Specifically, we are interested in reactions that utilize radical intermediates and expanding their use in synthesis.
Selected Publications
- Azolation of Benzylic C–H Bonds via Photoredox-Catalyzed Carbocation Generation, M. Das, L. Zamani, C. Bratcher, P. Z. Musacchio, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 3861–3868.
- A SN1 mechanistic approach to the Williamson ether reaction via photoredox catalysis applied to benzylic C(sp3)–H bonds, N. A. Fitzpatrick, L. Zamani, M. Das, H. G. Yayla, M. S. Lall, P. Z. Musacchio, Tetrahedron 2022, 125, 132986.
- A photoredox-catalyzed approach for formal hydride abstraction to enable Csp3–H functionalization with nucleophilic partners (F, C, O, N, and Br/Cl), Y. Zhang, N. A. Fitzpatrick, M. Das, I. Bedre, H. G. Yayla, M. S. Lall, P. Z. Musacchio, Chem Catalysis 2020, 2, 1–17.
- Silyl Radical Activation of Alkyl Halides in Metallaphotoredox Catalysis: A Unique Pathway for Cross Electrophile Coupling, P. Zhang, C. C. Le, D. W. C. MacMillan, J. Aam. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 8084.