Keywords

• Catalysis
• Radical chemistry
• Natural product synthesis
• Neuroprotection

Focus areas

• Natural products/medicinal
• Synthesis

Affiliations

• Member, Iowa Neuroscience Institute
• Member, Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing (CBB)

Research interests

Research in the Martin lab focuses on the development of new catalytic transformations, novel strategies for bond activation and the synthesis of bioactive molecules for the study and treatment of human disease. We find inspiration both through the identification of bioactive natural product targets and through consideration of larger problems where organic chemistry is poised to offer practical solutions (e.g. depolymerization and selective functionalization of biomass). Our goal is to provide reaction platforms that are both practical and sustainable for a variety of synthetic applications. Examples of methods we are investigating include H-atom transfer reactions, first-row transition metal catalysis (Fe, Co, etc.) and wavelength-selective photocatalysis. 

Another major focus of the lab is to explore general approaches to families of natural products where promising biological activity has been reported, in particular for the study and prevention of diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. We are interested in the rapid and stereoselective synthesis of natural products such as the limonoids, where neuroprotective activity has been reported with little mechanistic information. In addition to chemical synthesis, we are pursuing studies of their mechanism of action and initiate collaborative studies where appropriate. We currently have active collaborations with researchers in the College of Pharmacy, Carver College of Medicine and Department of Chemistry.

Select Publications

Cory T. Ludwig, Isiaka A. Owolabi, Logan W. Evans, Gabriel J. Smith, Alexander Ramos, James J. Shepherd, and David B. C. Martin "Wavelength-Selective Reactivity of Iron (III) Halide Salts in Photocatalytic C-H Functionalization." J. Org. Chem. 2025, 90, 3404–3411.  [ChemRxiv Preprint]

Anna E. Bartman, Mersad Raeisi, Clarence D. Peiris, Isabella E. Jacobsen, U David B. C. Martin, Jonathan A. Doorn “A Novel Analog of the Natural Product Fraxinellone Protects against Endogenous and Exogenous Neurotoxicants." ACS Chemical Neuroscience 2024, 15, 2612–2622.

Hoang T. Dang, Henry T. O'Callaghan, Mikayla M. Wymore, Jennifer Suarez, David B. C. Martin “Selective C–H Activation of Molecular Nanodiamonds via Photoredox Catalysis.” ACS Catalysis 2024, 14 (6), 4093-4098. 

William K. Weigel III, Hoang T. Dang, Abigail Feceu and David B. C. Martin "Direct Radical Functionalization Methods to Access Substituted Adamantanes and Diamondoids" Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry 2022, 20, 10-36.

Dana R. Chambers, Antoine Juneau, Cory T. Ludwig, Mathieu Frenette and David B. C. Martin, "C–O Bond Cleavage of Alcohols via Visible Light Activation of Cobalt Alkoxycarbonyls." Organometallics 2019, 38, 4570–4577.

Hai-Bin Yang, Abigail Feceu, David B.C. Martin, "Catalyst-Controlled C–H Functionalization of Adamantanes Using Selective H-Atom Transfer." ACS Catal. 2019, 9, 5708-5715. [ChemRxiv preprint].

William K. Weigel, Taylor N. Dennis, Amrik S. Kang, J. Jefferson P. Perry, David B. C. Martin, "A Heck-Based Strategy to Generate Anacardic Acids and Related Phenolic Lipids for Isoform-Specific Bioactivity Profiling." Org. Lett. 2018, 20, 6234–6238.

Dana R. Chambers, Raymond E. Sullivan, David B. C. Martin, "Synthesis and Characterization of Alkoxycarbonyl Cobalt Complexes via Direct Carbonylation Methods."Organometallics 2017, 36, 1630–1639.

Michael T. Pirnot, Danica A. Rankic, David B. C. Martin, David W. C. MacMillan. “Photoredox Activation for the Direct beta-Arylation of Ketones and Aldehydes.”Science 2013, 339, 1593-1596. 

David B. C. Martin, Christopher D. Vanderwal. “A Synthesis of Strychnine by a Longest Linear Sequence of Six Steps.” Chem. Sci. 2011, 2, 649-651. 

Select awards

• Ronald T. Pflaum Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award, Alpha Chi Sigma, 2022
• University of Iowa Old Gold Summer Fellowship, 2020
• NSF Career Award, 2018-2023
• UBC Chemistry Young Alumnus Award, 2017
• Thieme Lecturer, Canadian Society for Chemistry National Meeting, 2017
• Thieme Chemistry Journals Award, 2017
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Graduate Fellowship, 2010
• Roche Excellence in Chemistry Graduate Student Award, 2010
• NSERC Canadian Postgraduate Scholarship, 2009-2011
• Eli Lilly Graduate Fellowship, 2009
• Bronze medal, International Chemistry Olympiad in Denmark, July 2000