37th Annual Student Research Conference
Towards a Green Ullmann Reaction: Accessing Anilines via Aqueous Cu(I)/Cu(II) Photocatalysis
Mary K. O'Reilly
Dr. Justine R. Olson, Faculty Mentor
First reported in 1901, the Ullmann reaction is traditionally used to synthesize symmetric biaryls. This is done by employing a copper catalyst and heat to couple two aryl halides. Recently, this reaction has been expanded to include nucleophilic aromatic substitutions. Typically, these reactions are run in harsh organic solvents and require expensive copper catalysts with labor-intensive ligands. Aqueous conditions for the Ullmann reaction are typically not used because the copper catalysts often react with water, plus the organic substrates are often insoluble.
Herein, we investigate a method to form aniline derivatives using an Ullmann-type reaction in water with Cu(I)/Cu(II) salts and UV light. Anilines are a common building block in a variety of organic molecules, including highly valuable pharmaceuticals, so finding a more environmentally friendly way to synthesize them is a necessity.
Keywords: Green, Copper, Photocatalyst, Ullmann
Topic(s):Chemistry
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: 206-3
Location: MG 2001
Time: 11:00