Transient Strained Intermediates: Cyclic Allenes, Anti-Bredt Olefins, and More 

Please join Yale Chemistry for the Sterling Lecture in Organic Chemistry with Prof. Neil Garg, Distinguished Kenneth N. Trueblood Professor & Vice Chair Associate Dean for Research at UCLA.

Summary: This presentation will describe my laboratory’s recent efforts to utilize unconventional strained intermediates, such as cyclic allenes, anti-Bredt olefins, and cubenes as synthetic building blocks. Initiatives in the realm of chemical education will also be described.

Biography: Neil is a Distinguished Professor and the inaugural holder of the Kenneth N. Trueblood Endowed Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry. He has served as Chair (2019–2023) and Vice Chair (2012–2016 and 2023-present) for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, as well as Associate Dean for Research for UCLA Physical Sciences (2026–present). He also served as Faculty-in-Residence in the UCLA undergraduate community for nine years. Neil is a co-founder of ElectraTect as well as a popular speaker and consultant for teaching, scientific, policy, government, and legal matters.

Prior to joining the faculty at UCLA, Neil received a B.S. in Chemistry from New York University where he did undergraduate research with Professor Marc Walters. During his undergraduate years, he spent several months in Strasbourg, France while conducting research with Professor Mir Wais Hosseini at Université Louis Pasteur as a NSF REU Fellow. Neil obtained his Ph.D. in 2005 from the California Institute of Technology under the direction of Professor Brian Stoltz. He then joined Professor Larry Overman’s research laboratory at the University of California, Irvine as an NIH Postdoctoral Scholar.

Neil joined the faculty at UCLA in 2007. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012, and then to Full Professor in 2013.  In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of Distinguished Professor. For more information on Prof. Garg's research: Garg Lab

Hosted by Prof. Scott Miller.

Sponsored by the Mrs. Hepsa Ely Silliman Memorial Fund.