Nicholas Ball

Sulfur fluoride exchange with carbon pronucleophiles Aryl alkyl sulfones are an important class of compounds in drug discovery; thus, new methods toward their synthesis are desirable. A general sulfur fluoride exchange (SuFEx) method to couple aryl sulf...

SuFEx welcomes new coupling partners - carbon pronucleophiles now in @chemicalscience.rsc.org . Congrats to Ball Lab students Joe Novicku and Matt Teeter and Pfizer colleagues Alistair, Tom, Neil, ans @chrisamende.bsky.social on the great work! #MyFirstChemSci

pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

15.08.2025 12:00 — 👍 9    🔁 5    💬 1    📌 0

With great thanks to NIGMS, the Ball Lab has had our R15 renewed! It took 19 months, but very thankful to the NIH for their support. I am looking forward to training undergraduates with Prof. Ogba @HMC and Dr. am Ende at Pfizer to conduct excellent research in SuFEx!

07.08.2025 13:59 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Flash Communication: Sulfonyl Fluoride Activation via S–F and C–S Bond Cleavage by a Ni(0) Bis-Bidentate N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complex This work investigates possible mechanisms and intermediates in the reactivity of p-toluenesulfonyl fluoride with a new bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) nickel complex, (MesNHC2oXy)Ni(COD) (Mes ...

Check out our new paper with the Stieber Lab @calpolypomona providing evidence that Ni can activate sulfonyl fluorides, resulting in a new binding modality of sulfur dioxide to nickel. Such a privilege to be a part of this work!

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

10.07.2025 15:29 — 👍 5    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

Part 2 of our involvement with the fantastic Stieberlab! So excited for you all to see it!

10.07.2025 00:14 — 👍 6    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

3-D printed bidentate NHC nickel complexes in blue (3 total)

Check out our latest pre-print that has these (+ more!) new structures! Lots of cool chemistry led by undergrads @oxidativerendition.bsky.social, Justin, + Adrian+ collab with @ballnchemist.bsky.social + Neil.

chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...

01.07.2025 17:23 — 👍 16    🔁 4    💬 1    📌 2

Sulfonyl fluoride activation via S-F and C-S bond cleavage by a Ni(0) bis-bidentate N- heterocyclic carbene complex This work investigates possible mechanisms and intermediates in the reactivity of p-toluenesulfonyl fluoride with a new bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) nickel complex, (MesNHC2oXy)Ni(COD) (Mes ...

Check out the new preprint we have with the Stieber lab featuring Nickel activation of sulfonyl fluorides! The team at
@calpolypomona are extraordinary!

chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...

18.04.2025 22:00 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Just completed a three-month sabbatical Groton, CT site with @chrisamende.bsky.social . I had a great time working with excellent colleagues (including @bagphos.bsky.social ) and learning a lot of new chemistry. Thanks so much!

21.12.2024 18:57 — 👍 10    🔁 1    💬 2    📌 0

Harnessing Oxetane and Azetidine Sulfonyl Fluorides for Opportunities in Drug Discovery Four-membered heterocycles such as oxetanes and azetidines represent attractive and emergent design options in medicinal chemistry due to their small and polar nature and potential to significantly im...

Really cool work from James Bull's group
at @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social in JACS .
Check it out!

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

13.12.2024 22:04 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Lewis Acid-Catalyzed Sulfur Fluoride Exchange A new method uses metal Lewis acids as catalysts to convert sulfonyl fluorides, fluorosulfates, and sulfamoyl fluorides with silyl amines into S–N bond-containing compounds via sulfur fluoride exchange. The reaction successfully employs Ca(NTf2)2 as a catalyst to form sulfonamides, sulfamates, and sulfamides using in situ-generated or commercially available silyl amines in 35–99% yields. Other metal Lewis acids are also demonstrated to be catalysts in SuFEx, forming sulfonamides and sulfamates in yields comparable to those of Ca(NTf2)2.

Check out the latest from our lab's
@theballlab in @JOC_OL Lewis Acid-Catalyzed Sulfur Fluoride Exchange.

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

26.11.2024 22:29 — 👍 19    🔁 4    💬 1    📌 1