Straightforward synthesis of functionalized γ-Lactams using impure CO2 stream as the carbon source

Yuman Qin; Robin Cauwenbergh; Suman Pradhan; Rakesh Maiti; Philippe Franck; Shoubhik Das

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-43289-w

Straightforward synthesis of functionalized γ-Lactams using impure CO₂ stream as the carbon source

Nat Commun. 2023 Nov 22;14(1):7604. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43289-w.

Authors

Yuman Qin^{1

2}, Robin Cauwenbergh², Suman Pradhan^{1

2}, Rakesh Maiti^{1

2}, Philippe Franck², Shoubhik Das^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany.
² Department of Chemistry, Universiteit Antwerpen, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium.
³ Department of Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany. Shoubhik.Das@uni-bayreuth.de.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Universiteit Antwerpen, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium. Shoubhik.Das@uni-bayreuth.de.

Abstract

Direct utilization of CO₂ into organic synthesis finds enormous applications to synthesize pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. However, pure CO₂ gas is essential to achieve these transformations, and the purification of CO₂ is highly cost and energy intensive. Considering this, we describe a straightforward synthetic route for the synthesis of γ-lactams, a pivotal core structure of bioactive molecules, by using commercially available starting materials (alkenes and amines) and impure CO₂ stream (exhaust gas is collected from the car) as the carbon source. This blueprint features a broad scope, excellent functional group compatibility and application to the late-stage transformation of existing pharmaceuticals and natural products to synthesize functionalized γ-lactams. We believe that our strategy will provide direct access to γ-lactams in a very sustainable way and will also enhance the Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) strategy.