Researchers at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) have developed a new metal-free method for synthesizing cyclic molecules, crucial for drug design. This method improves on the old Hofmann-Löffler-Freytag (HLF) mechanism by using hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) as a solvent, enabling single-electron transfer to form C(sp³)–N bonds. This innovative approach allows for the efficient creation of six-membered rings like piperidine, overcoming the limitations of traditional HLF methods. This breakthrough is documented in Nature Synthesis.
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