Pohang University of Science and Technology’s Professor Kim Hyun-woo. Provided by the National Research Foundation of Korea.
[Financial News] A new method for synthesizing compounds using light and electricity has been developed. It is expected to be used extensively in a wide range of applications, such as pharmaceuticals and new materials, in an environmentally friendly manner.
The National Research Foundation of Korea announced on the 18th that a research team led by Professor Kim Hyun-woo at Pohang University of Science and Technology has successfully synthesized various heterocycles using a new synthesis paradigm called photon-primed electrosynthesis. Heterocycles are a term for cyclic compounds containing two or more different elements.
Heterocyclic compounds are used as key structural frameworks for new drug substances due to their structural diversity and stability. Their diverse substitution and functionalization make them widely applicable in pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and new material fields, and the demand for synthesis methods using heterocyclic compounds is increasing.
Currently, there is active development of synthetic pathways that use physical energies like light and electricity either individually or simultaneously, but existing studies have limitations in that they necessarily require the use of transition metal catalysts.
In response, the research team successfully implemented a differentiated synthesis paradigm using familiar physical energies such as light and electricity without using transition metal catalysts, named it photon-primed electrosynthesis, and synthesized various heterocyclic compounds.
The core of this system lies in forming intermediates through prior photoreaction, then converting them into highly reactive species through electrochemical oxidation processes, enabling interaction even with substances of low reactivity. Notably, unlike previous studies, there is no need for transition metal catalysts, and the synergy between photoreaction and electrochemistry achieves remarkably high electron efficiency, drawing attention.
Regarding the research results, the team stated, “This is an important achievement that demonstrates that integrating technologies can open new paths for chemical reactions beyond using only one synthesis technique,” and added, “The new synthesis system, through the use of environmentally friendly technology, holds great potential as a fundamental technology for various chemical industries.”
The results of this research were published on August 13 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a top-tier global journal in the field of chemistry.