Aniline synthesis turns to photochemistry to access challenging targets
New photochemical strategy could jump in where common cross-coupling reactions fall short
A versatile method for making anilines – important aromatic molecules used in drugs and agrochemicals – has been developed by researchers in the UK. The new approach, which uses non-aromatic precursors and light, bypasses some of the frequent selectivity issues of aromatic chemistry and enabled the scientists to synthesise compounds that can’t be made using traditional cross-coupling reactions.