Preview
Identifier
Winner, Second Place
Creation Date
Spring 2021
Description
The research I conducted focused on developing a class of catalysts capable of creating alternate routes to compounds that can be used in the synthesis of medicines like cinacalcet, a drug used in the treatment of osteoporosis. The photograph is an x-ray crystallography of my compound making hydrogen bonds with itself. An x-ray crystallography is able to show 3-D structures of compounds. This is an essential step in the characterization process of the compounds I created because each diastereomer, which is characterized as R or S, has different chemical and physical properties. From this picture, I was able to determine that this compound is the S diastereomer. From this characterization, in addition to analysis of the diastereomeric ratios, my team was able to improve the synthetic pathway. Hopefully, this work will lead to the development of a better medicine for people struggling with chronic illnesses, like osteoporosis.