My current research interests are primarily focused in the area of green chemistry. In particular, I am interested in revisiting traditional organic reactions under aqueous conditions - both in water and on its surface (so called "on water" reactions). In addition, I am working to develop new undergraduate experiments which incorporate green chemistry principles into the laboratory curriculum.

Publications

1. “Organic Reactions Under Aqueous Conditions.” Sauer, E. L. O. In “Green Organic Chemistry in Lecture and Laboratory” Dicks, A., Ed.; Taylor&Francis, 2011, in press.
2. “On the Origin of Altered Diastereomeric Ratios for Anionic versus Neutral Reaction Conditions in the Oxy-Cope/Ene Reaction: An Interplay of Experiment and Computational Modelling.” Hooper, J.; Sauer, E. L. O.; Arns, S.; Woo, T.; Barriault, L. Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 14124.
3. “Manganese Catalysts for C-H Activation: An Experimental/Theoretical Study Indentifies the Stereoselective Factor that Controls the Switch Between Hydroxylation and Desaturation Pathways.” Hull, J. F.; Balcells, D.; Sauer, E. L. O.; Raynaud, C.; Brudvig, G. W.; Crabtree, R. H.; Eisenstein, O. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 7605.
4. “Manganese Catalysts with Molecular Recognition Functionality for Selective Alkene Epoxidation.” Hull, J. F.; Sauer, E. L. O.; Incarvito, C. D.; Faller, J. W.; Brudvig, G. W.; Crabtree, R. H. Inorg. Chem. 2009, 48, 488.
5. “Iridium and Ruthenium complexes with Chelating N-Heterocyclic carbenes: Efficient catalysts for transfer hydrogenation, β-alkylation and N-alkylation of amines.” Gnanamgari, D.; Sauer, E. L. O.; Schley, N. D.; Butler, C.; Incarvito C. D.; Crabtree, R. H. Orangometallics 2009, 28, 321.
6. “Synthesis and Reactivity of N-Hydroxy-2-Amino-3-Arylindoles.” Belley, M.; Beaudoin, D.; Duspara, P.; Sauer, E.; St-Pierre, G.; Trimble, L. A. Synlett 2007, 19, 2991.
   
7. “Origin of Diastereoselectivity in the Tandem Oxy-Cope/Claisen/Ene Reaction: Experimental and Theoretical Studies of the Ring Inversion Mechanism.” Sauer, E. L. O.; Hooper, J.; Woo, T.; Barriault, L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 2112.
   
8. “Synthesis and Reactivity of N-hydroxy-2-aminoindoles.” Belley, M.; Sauer, E.; Beaudoin, D.; Duspara, P.; Trimble, L. A.; Dubé, P. Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 159.
9. “Asymmetric Cross-Coupling and Heck Reactions.” Barriault, L; Sauer, E. L. O. In “Stereoselective Synthesis of Quaternary Stereocentres” Christoffers, J., Ed.; Wiley-VCH, 2005, 185-204. ISBN: 3-527-31107-6.
10. “Studies Toward the Total Synthesis of Wiedemannic Acid.” Sauer, E. L. O.; Barriault, L. Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 3329.
11. “Highly Efficient Transfer of Chirality from Macrocyclic Conformation in the Tandem Oxy-Cope/Claisen/Ene Reaction.” Sauer, E. L. O.; Barriault, L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 8569.
12. “Enantioselective Allylation of b,g-Unsaturated Aldehydes Generated via Lewis Acid Induced Rearrangement of 2-Vinyloxiranes.” Lautens, M.; Maddess, M. L.; Sauer, E. L. O.; Ouellet, S. O. Org. Lett. 2002, 4, 83.
13. “Reaction of the Tamoxifen Cation and the Bis-(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl Cation in Aqueous Solutions Containing 2’-Deoxyguanosine.” McClelland, R. A.; Sanchez, C.; Sauer, E.; Vukovic, S. Can. J. Chem. 2002, 80, 296.