Environmentally friendly chlorine method could revolutionize pharmaceutical and chemical production

Chlorine plays an essential role in everyday life, from keeping pools clean to preserving food. Now, a team of Rice University chemists has developed a more environmentally friendly way to incorporate chlorine into the chemical building blocks of pharmaceuticals, plastics, pesticides, and other essential products while reducing costs. The study was published in the journal Nature Synthesis on January 2.

A research team led by assistant professor of chemistry and Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) scholar Julian West has developed a photocatalyst that uses iron and sulfur catalysts activated by mild blue light to add chlorine atoms to organic molecules. Developed the process. This innovation eliminates the need for harsh chemicals and high temperatures typically required in chlorination, which can produce byproducts that are difficult to purify.

“Our method uses a sustainable, low-cost catalyst and operates with mild blue light at room temperature,” West said. “This provides a way to chlorinate molecules in a targeted and efficient manner without causing the environmental and cleanup issues of traditional approaches.”

One advantage of the researchers’ method is that it precisely targets the placement of chlorine on the molecule, a process called anti-Markovnikov hydrochloric acid treatment. This precision creates a highly pure product by selectively attaching chlorine atoms to less reactive parts of the starting molecule. This approach allows chemists to avoid additional purification steps that are often time-consuming and expensive.

The researchers also revealed a new addition to the process: using heavy water to incorporate deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen. This step increases the stability of certain drugs, so they last longer in the body and can be more effective.

“It’s exciting that this method could open new doors for modifying medicines and natural products in ways that were not possible with older techniques,” West said.

Research collaborators include Rice University students Kang-Jie Bian, Shih-Chieh Kao, Ying Chen, Yen-Chu Lu, David Nemoto Jr., and Xiaowei Chen. Angel Martí, professor and professor of chemistry and professor of bioengineering, materials science, and nanoengineering, also contributed to the study.