Chemists report ‘milder’ way to swap carbon for nitrogen atoms

Scientists have reported a reaction to replace carbon with nitrogen in types of molecules often encountered in medical research and industry without using harsh oxidants.

When working with drug candidates, chemists sometimes like to replace a carbon atom in a ring of atoms with a nitrogen atom. This is because the switch can significantly alter the molecule’s properties, including how well it dissolves or how it interacts with biological targets in the body. But achieving it has been quite difficult, requiring chemical reactions with powerful oxidants that can damage other parts of the molecule.

A new study in the journal Science offers a breakthrough. Researchers from the University of Chicago have reported a reaction to replace carbon with nitrogen in types of molecules often encountered in medical research and industry, in “mild conditions”.

The method could make it easier to create new drug variants and fine-tune existing molecules. Molecules containing indoles and their derivatives are particularly important in drug chemistry, where such atom-swaps can improve efficacy.