Simple laboratory methods illuminate the path to simple chemical synthesis

According to scientists at Rice University, cheap iron salts are key to
simplifying the manufacture of basic precursors for drugs and other chemicals.

They have improved the process of producing diazide, the basic molecule
for the production of drugs and pesticides.
Iron salts and a process called radical ligand transfer and ligand-metal charge transfer (LMCT) make them inexpensive and environmentally friendly
.

The researchers irradiated their reagents with visible light, allowing them to form diazides
under much milder conditions than current industrial processes that typically involve high temperatures and corrosive acids.

Diazides are molecules with two amine groups that can be functionalized, meaning they easily react
with other molecules.
Depending on how they are constructed, they can form the basis of
many useful compounds.

In a recent study, West and his team used radical ligand transfer (or "free radical bounce") to add two functional groups to a single olefin, and organic molecules extracted from petrochemicals contained at least one carbon-carbon double bond
.

This technique, along with iron-mediated ligand-to-metal charge transfer, came in handy when they built similar precursors called near-diazides from common
feedstocks.

"It uses only two reagents, ferric nitrate and azide TMS, which every synthesis lab has, basically, you mix them in a common solvent and then shine it
with light.
" Almost every pharmaceutical lab will have LED lights
.
So basically they just take things off
the shelves.
”

This ligand transfer is inspired by biology, "including enzymes
in our own liver.
" There are enzymes in nature that transfer atomic or molecular fragments to free radicals, forming new bonds that help form larger molecules
.
We are excited to explore the potential
of this step in the final study.
"

"In this project, now that we've figured out how it works, we can start combining it with new steps to make something different, and interestingly, like everything in organic chemistry, nature realized a long time ago that this is very useful
.
"

Both LMCT and radical ligand transfer occur
one after the other when the reagent and solution are irradiated under ambient conditions.
The lab learned to maximize the process by flowing chemistry, passing the solution through a circulation tube and illuminating
only on that tube.

"The reaction happens where you emit light, so we can process more than one batch of light, and also have better control over the amount
of light by accelerating or slowing down the flow of light.
"

"It's very easy to pour salt into a flask and shine it with light, but if you want to make a lot of salt, or make it better, the flow works very well
.
We think this will help laboratories that want to make this product in an easy way, especially if
they don't have time to fine-tune and struggle with other methods.
”