New ligand design balances radical generation and catalyst regeneration for challenging chemical reactions

Radicals, atoms or molecules that readily react with other substances to form new bonds, are useful tools for building complex substances such as pharmaceuticals. By The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies.

Credit: KAIST Radicals, atoms or molecules that readily react with other substances to form new bonds, are useful tools for building complex substances such as pharmaceuticals. A KAIST research team has developed a new strategy that balances radical generation and catalyst regeneration, broadening the possibility of using substrates that are difficult to activate to synthesize complex molecules needed for pharmaceuticals and other applications.

The work is published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. This radical then forms a new carbon-carbon bond with another part of the same molecule, creating a ring-shaped structure.

As a result, the team synthesized 3, 3-disubstituted oxindoles in high yields. The team also succeeded in reacting substrates with strong carbon-chlorine bonds that do not break easily.

Rather than simply raising the reactivity of a single step, the team showed that balancing the entire catalytic cycle, including both radical generation and catalyst regeneration, makes it possible to design more efficient catalysts and extend the approach to new reactions. Cyclopropenimine-Enabled Redox Control in Copper-Catalyzed Radical Cyclization to 3, 3-Disubstituted Oxindoles.

Journal of the American Chemical Society (2026).

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