Metal-, Catalyst-, Light- and Electrolysis-Free Decarboxylative Radical Reactions - Towards a More Sustainable Future

This PhD project builds on surprising observations in our laboratories that, contrary to the accepted convention, mild, decarboxylative C-H functionalisation of heterocycles do not require metal, photocatalyst, light, high temperatures nor electrolysis to proceed well.

A simple switch of solvent, followed by optimisation, successfully renders the C-H functionalisation of heterocycles metal-, catalyst-, light- and electrolysis-free (MCLE-free).

Following these exciting preliminary results, we aim to convince the chemical community that we do not need to continue using toxic/precious/non-sustainable metals and catalysts or wasting precious energy to irradiate/heat/electrolyse these oxidative reactions just because it is the status quo.

To achieve this, the aims of the project are to i) develop and showcase a myriad of useful MCLE free decarboxylative-functionalisation reactions which are sustainable, practical, cost-effective, scalable and suitable for late-stage functionalisation, ii) pursue further improvements on sustainability, and iii) showcase, using a case study, its utility for a diverse range of fields.