Researchers have developed a new light-based method to produce high-energy nanoparticles known as nanoparticles, which are of great importance in the fields of drug development and materials science.
This innovation came at the hands of a research team led by Professor Frank Glorios at the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the University of Münster in Germany, which was able to transform simple and available raw materials into complex and compact molecular structures known as “hossan,” after their shape, which resembles a simplified drawing of a house.
The technology relies on a photocatalyst that transfers energy from light to molecules, allowing the required chemical transformation to occur in a precise and efficient manner.
These small cyclic molecules are characterized by the presence of high internal energy resulting from structural stress, which makes them capable of releasing significant energy during subsequent chemical reactions, which opens the way for their use in the production of pharmaceutical compounds and advanced chemicals.
Despite their importance, the manufacture of these molecules was difficult in the past, as it required harsh conditions such as high temperatures, and faced challenges related to the ability of the functional groups in the raw materials to withstand without affecting the reaction.
To overcome this problem, the researchers used hydrocarbon compounds known as 1,4-diones, which undergo unwanted side reactions when exposed to light. The team modified the side chains of these compounds, which helped reduce unwanted interactions and better control the course of the reaction.
Thanks to these modifications, the molecules were able to adopt the tense ring structure necessary to form “hosanases,” with the results supported by computer analyzes to understand the reaction mechanism more precisely.
This new method provides a more efficient and easier way to produce these molecules, with the possibility of expanding their use in multiple fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and the development of advanced materials, according to the researchers.
