Nickel goldilocks

A joint collaboration between the John Montgomery’s Group at the University of Michigan and an ICIQ researcher has resulted in the development of a new class of Nickel (0) catalysts, which will expedite a broad range of organic reactions.

These new compounds, published in the American Chemical Society journal, ACS Catalysis with a patent pending, provide rare examples of Nickel (0) complexes that tolerate air exposure while maintaining high catalytic activities for the construction of strategic bonds in medicinal chemistry. This feature avoids the need to use an inert atmosphere glovebox, making their use more sustainable and user-friendly.

“We hope these catalysts can make the synthesis of new drug candidates easier, cheaper and more sustainable” explains Santiago Cañellas, a predoctoral researcher in the Pericàs Group involved in the project. Three of these catalysts can be now purchased from Strem Chemicals, Inc.