A research team at the University of Vienna, led by Prof. Nuno Maulide, has developed a new method—known as “cation sampling”—for precisely modifying carbon-hydrogen bonds. The targeted functionalization of C-H bonds in complex molecules is a core task of modern synthetic chemistry.
However, many reaction sites are difficult to access and require complex multi-step processes or the use of expensive catalysts. In cation sampling, positive charges migrate along a molecule’s carbon chain and are guided by specific ketone groups that act as molecular “signposts.” This enables especially precise control of the reaction.
The method opens up new approaches for a more efficient and sustainable synthesis of complex molecules and, among other things, simplifies the development of pharmaceutical active ingredients and high-tech materials.
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