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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development

Published on: April 15, 2013

Self-terminating, oxidative radical cyclizations.

Tim Dreessen¹, Christian Jargstorff, Lars Lietzau

¹Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Kiel, Olshausenstr, 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

|November 17, 2007

Summary

A new method converts alkynes to carbonyl compounds using self-terminating, oxidative radical cyclizations. This process employs mild conditions and O-centered radicals for efficient synthesis.

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Area of Science:

Organic Chemistry
Synthetic Chemistry

Background:

Oxidative cyclizations are crucial transformations in organic synthesis.
Developing mild and efficient methods for functionalizing alkynes remains an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe a novel self-terminating, oxidative radical cyclization strategy.
To demonstrate the conversion of alkynes into carbonyl compounds under mild conditions.

Main Methods:

Utilizing O-centered inorganic and organic radicals as oxidants.
Employing self-terminating radical cyclization mechanisms.

Main Results:

Successful conversion of alkynes to carbonyl compounds.
Reaction proceeds under very mild conditions.
Demonstration of a novel synthetic pathway.

Conclusions:

The described method offers a new, mild approach for synthesizing carbonyl compounds from alkynes.
Self-terminating oxidative radical cyclizations represent a valuable addition to synthetic organic chemistry toolkits.