The study was led by Frank Glorius and his team at the University of Münster’s Institute of Organic Chemistry.
Scientists said the new approach uses photocatalysis, a process in which light activates a catalyst and transfers energy into molecules, allowing chemists to produce compact ring-shaped structures known as housanes. These molecules are considered valuable because they store large amounts of internal strain that can later drive chemical reactions useful in pharmaceutical production.
Researchers explained that housanes are difficult to manufacture using conventional methods, which often require high temperatures and harsh chemical conditions. Previous techniques also struggled to accommodate additional functional groups that influence a molecule’s properties and behavior.
The team used hydrocarbons known as 1,4-dienes as starting materials and adjusted their molecular side chains to suppress unwanted reactions. This allowed the molecules to fold into the desired strained ring structure more efficiently.
“This process is normally difficult to achieve because it is energetically ‘uphill’ and requires additional momentum. Photocatalysis provides the necessary energy,” said Glorius.
According to the researchers, the new technique could make the production of strained molecular structures more accessible for chemists working in drug development and materials science.
The team also carried out computer-based analyses to better understand how the reaction works and how the molecular transformation occurs.
Scientists believe the discovery may contribute to future advances in pharmaceutical manufacturing and the creation of next-generation materials.
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