Peking University Jiao Ning's research team published a paper in Nature to report a new breakthrough in the cleavage and transformation of aromatic derivatives

On July 19, the research team of Jiao Ning, School of Pharmacy, Peking University and the State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Biomimetic Medicines published a new research paper entitled " Alkenyl Nitriles by Fragmentation of Aromatic Rings " online in Nature , reporting Breakthrough research results on the selective catalytic cleavage and transformation of aromatic rings

Screenshot of the paper

Through the biomimetic design, the team proposed a cascade activation strategy, which solved the major scientific problem of the selective catalytic ring-opening conversion of inert aromatic compounds for the first time, and developed a new catalytic inert carbon-carbon bond activation mode, which realized a variety of simple methods such as aniline.

Carbon-carbon bond is the most basic structure that constructs most organic molecular skeletons.

As one of the most basic structures of organic molecules, aromatic rings are widely present in drug molecules, functional materials and chemical raw materials

Figure 1.

The research team of Jiao Ning ingeniously designed a copper-catalyzed cascade activation strategy.

"To use a not very appropriate metaphor, our research results are like finding a way to cut jade

It is understood that the efficient realization of this type of new reaction is expected to provide a new way for the high-value conversion of simple aromatic hydrocarbons from crude oil and coal, as well as for the degradation and utilization of biomass, and for the modification of functional material molecules and pharmaceutical active molecules.

Figure 2.

It is reported that the first communication unit of this article is the State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Biomimetic Medicines of Peking University

Group photo of the research team