PHOTO-ATROP · Photochemical organocatalytic atropselective processes for the sustainable synthesis of biorelevant axially chiral molecules

Photochemical organocatalytic atropselective processes for the sustainable synthesis of biorelevant axially chiral molecules

In recent years, enantioselective catalysis has become a critical tool in the synthesis of chiral molecules, particularly in drug development and the production of biologically significant compounds. While most enantioselective processes focus on sp3-hybridized stereocenters, many important natural products, drug molecules, and chiral ligands feature axial chirality, classifying them as atropisomers. Despite their significance, efficient methods for synthesizing atropisomers remain underdeveloped. The Photo-Atrop project aims to address this gap by developing a sustainable and enantioselective organo-photocatalytic strategy for the synthesis of axially chiral molecules. Our approach leverages two complementary activation methods: photoredox catalysis and organocatalysis. These combined methods allow us to generate reactive radicals under mild conditions, enabling the selective functionalization of biaryl systems to produce atropisomers with high enantioselectivity. What sets this project apart is its use of photochemical processes to introduce radical intermediates into atropselective reactions, an area that has remained largely unexplored. We believe that by harnessing visible light to generate reactive radicals from simple phenol substrates, we can create more sustainable and efficient pathways to synthesizing atropisomers. This strategy also explores the potential for regio- and enantioselective perfluoroalkylation of biaryl phenols, a challenging transformation in traditional ground-state chemistry. The photochemical approach not only reduces the need for harsh reaction conditions but also opens up new possibilities for generating complex molecular structures that are difficult to achieve through conventional methods. The Photo-Atrop project aims to provide insights that could transform how atropisomers are synthesized, offering a sustainable and scalable solution that aligns with the growing need for environmentally friendly chemical processes. By doing so, it addresses a significant challenge in synthetic chemistry, with potential implications for pharmaceuticals, materials science, and other industries that rely on chiral molecules.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз