A study into the mechanism and utility of single electron reduction in organic synthesis

本提案旨在开发一种新的更有效的方法来制备复杂的有机分子。我们的努力将集中在向各种有机化合物中添加电子，因为这个过程可以将它们转化为特别有用的新衍生物。我们的目标是使用电子穿梭器将电子从金属表面转移到所讨论的有机化合物；如果我们要优化和利用它，理解它的工作方式是至关重要的。通过电化学和制备化学的结合，我们的目标是深入研究一个复杂过程的机制，并提出一系列新的还原条件。这将导致选择性新还原反应的发展，这对化学工业和学术界都很重要，因为它可以快速有效地制备有价值的有机化合物，同时最大限度地减少成本和产生的废物。

This proposal seeks to develop a new and more efficient way to prepare complex organic molecules. Our efforts will focus on the addition of electrons to a variety of organic compounds because this process can transform them into especially useful new derivatives.We aim to use an electron shuttle to transfer electrons from the surface of a metal to the organic compound in question; an understanding of the way that this works is of paramount importance if we are to optimise and harness it. By using a combination of electochemistry and preparative chemistry, we aim to delve deep into the mechanism of a complex process and emerge with a range of new reducing conditions.This will result in the development of selective new reduction reactions, which is important to chemical industry as well as academia because it enables valuable organic compounds to be prepared quickly and efficiently with minimisation of cost and waste produced.