New Catalysts Improve Production of Important Organic Molecules

Making molecules for biomedical uses is tricky. The work is often expensive and time-consuming, requiring extreme temperatures, toxic ingredients and rare or precious metals. Now, chemists synthesizing common organic molecules can overcome these challenges by employing a new class of catalysts (substances used to spur chemical reactions). The catalysts are renewable, cheap to prepare and easy to use. They promote extraordinarily selective reactions that favor desired products over chemically similar but inactive molecules. The catalysts will enable chemists to create a wide variety of biologically and medically useful molecules in a sustainable, economical, reliable and environmentally friendly way.
Source: NIGMS Biomedical Beat - Category: Research Source Type: news