At the forefront of the industry, copper may become the key to the development of medicine and optoelectronics
Abstract: Researchers at Hokkaido University have discovered a way to combine light-emitting diodes with copper-based molecular catalysts, developing a more sustainable way to make key chemical subunits that are used in pharmaceutical and optoelectronic developments. has potential uses.
In a paper published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the scientists explained that their proposed technique allowed them to perform so-called cross-coupling reactions, in which two molecules are connected by a carbon-carbon bond. This is one of the most widely used types of reactions and is critical in making most of the chemical products used today.
The researchers say using copper as a catalyst for the cross-coupling reaction is a breakthrough in sustainability, as the reaction typically relies on the use of precious metals such as palladium.
The new approach is also considered advantageous because the copper metal in the molecular catalyst itself absorbs blue light, without the need for a separate light-absorbing compound outside of the catalyst. This makes synthesis not only cheaper and simpler, but also easier to control because there are fewer moving parts.
Blue light plays a key role in activating copper-based catalysts. Theoretical calculations show that this light exposure causes electrons to move from atoms of the metal copper to a connected subunit of the molecular catalyst. This excited state separates the charges and makes the catalyst more reactive, so the researchers were able to use it to perform cross-coupling reactions to generate acyl groups, which are useful for synthesizing drugs and optoelectronic materials.
A key aspect of this approach is the asymmetry of acyl group formation. This means that one of the two possible mirror-image versions of the product molecule is selectively produced, a highly desirable property for new drug development.
The implementation of this new method is expected to both save costs and increase the sustainability of the production of a variety of compounds with potential uses in medicine and electronics.
Yusuke Masuda, lead author of the study, said in a media statement: "This synthesis method is a breakthrough because it combines two readily available substances, blue LED lights and copper, to achieve a method that did not exist before. Coupling reactions. Technologies that utilize Earth's abundant resources to produce useful compounds are critical to the sustainable development of humanity. I predict that this development will become a milestone in the development of sustainable molecular synthesis methods.
