Sustainable Approaches to Target Synthesis using Electrochemically Generated Reactive Intermediates

Sustainable methods for the production of valuable chemicals, including medicines and materials, are essential for a sustainable future. Electrosynthesis provides an attractive approach for chemical synthesis, where traditional reliance on toxic and hazardous chemical reagents and catalysts can be reduced, or even avoided altogether. In electrosynthesis, electrons can be considered to be a "Green" reagent, particularly when electricity is produced sustainably. The project explores electrochemical methods for the generation of reactive intermediates (free radicals), and their application in cyclisation reactions. Our preliminary work in flow electrolysis cells has found that radicals can be produced efficiently, without the need for the toxic reagents traditionally associated with radical chemistry (e.g. Bu3SnH). The approach will investigate how complex pharmaceutical intermediates and bioactive compounds can be synthesised using electrochemically generated radicals.