Nucleophilic Carbenes Derived from Dichloromethane
Christopher Uyeda describes a method for the synthesis of nucleophilic carbenes.
The cyclopropyl ring is an important structural motif, featuring high ring strain and reactivity. Its unique properties make it a valuable building block in organic synthesis and drug design. Cyclopropyl rings are found in several pharmaceuticals, as they can introduce desirable properties into drug candidates and therapeutics. Cyclopropyl groups can also serve as bioisosteres for other functional groups, potentially improving drug potency or pharmacokinetics. Among cyclopropyl ring-forming reactions, catalytic alkene cyclopropanations have a long history in organic synthesis, but most methods rely on diazoalkanes, which are energetic molecules that have significant safety concerns when used on commercial scales. For the past five years, the group of Professor Christopher Uyeda at Purdue University (West Lafayette, USA) has been interested in developing catalytic cyclopropanation reactions that can use readily available gem-dihaloalkanes as carbene precursors.
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