OleFluor · Carbyne transfer catalysis for C(sp2)–C(sp2) bond (radio)fluorinations

Carbyne transfer catalysis for C(sp2)–C(sp2) bond (radio)fluorinations

OleFluor focuses on developing a new and versatile method for making important carbon-fluor chemical bonds in drugs, which could lead to more efficient drug development and the synthesis of compounds that were previously hard to produce, to ultimately improve the availability of medical treatments for society. The use of fluorine-containing drugs is now on the rise, and scientists have been working on new ways to create these bonds. Currently, they have two main approaches: one using pre-prepared molecules and the other using a type of carbon-hydrogen (C–H) bond as a starting point. However, because drugs come in many different shapes and sizes, no single method works for all of them. Instead of the usual approaches, OleFluor wants to use a type of carbon-carbon double bond and a novel catalyst that performs carbyne transfer reactions. The main goal is to create a flexible process that can use various starting materials, including basic chemicals, fine-tuned molecules, and complex substances with specific types of bonds. The specific project's objectives are summarized below, and in Figure 1: 1) The development of a new way to make a type of fluorinated molecule called "allylic fluorides" with the ability to control the structure of the molecules (chirality) and in a way that it can be used in the later stages of drug development. 2) Simplifying the currently complex process of making fluorinated versions of compounds that imitate biomolecules, which have medicinal properties. 3) Adapt this new method to use a specific source of fluorine called 18F, which has uses in medical imaging.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union