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Nature 447, 152-153 (10 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447152a; Published online 9 May 2007

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Organic chemistry: Radical catalysis

Santanu Mukherjee1 & Benjamin List1

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The domination of metals in catalysis is under threat as organic catalysts gain ground. The latest example may expand chemical reactivity beyond the achievements of traditional metal complexes.

Chemists are currently excited about a different take on organic synthesis, in which purely organic molecules are used as catalysts, rather than metals or enzymes. This previously neglected strategy holds great promise in areas such as drug discovery and materials science, and has already been used in several valuable reactions.

  1. Santanu Mukherjee and Benjamin List are at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
    Email: list@mpi-muelheim.mpg.de

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