Many drugs contain an active ingredient known as a small molecule, which is larger than water and mainly composed of carbon. However, creating these molecules can be challenging, especially when they require a quaternary carbon. Scripps Research scientists have now discovered a potentially cost-effective method for producing these complex motifs.
Nathan Dao, a Ph.D. candidate at Scripps Research, emphasizes the significance of quaternary carbons in various research areas. The synthesis of these carbons has been a long-standing challenge in organic chemistry, often involving multiple steps and harsh conditions. The study’s co-first authors, Xu-Cheng Gan and Benxiang Zhang, also contributed to this breakthrough.
Catalysts are essential for speeding up chemical reactions, but they can be expensive and produce waste. However, the Scripps Research team found that a single catalyst could perform multiple crucial roles, simplifying difficult chemical reactions.
“This work is incredibly simple,” says co-senior author Ryan Shenvi, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Scripps Research.
2024-04-06 18:00:02
Source from phys.org