Review Became Template for Graduate Fellowship Essays

The development of new reactions and the extension of existing methods are at the heart of organic synthesis. Despite the desirable features of Michael-additions or 1,2-additions to imine-derivatives, these carbanionic reactions demand rigorous anhydrous conditions, permit competing enolization and have limited functional group compatibility. In contrast, radicals are highly tolerant of many functional groups and can be easily generated in the presence of unprotected alcohols, esters or even water. Thus, it has become an important objective to find practical and efficient intermolecular radical reactions as an alternative to carbanionic reactions.

The essay will discuss recent progress in stereoselective intermolecular radical reactions onto olefins and oxime ethers, and critically evaluate pertinent problems. Problems that still have not been addressed although they have been known for more than half a decade. Maybe we should post it on Innocentive as a problem to be solved.

The review was initially published by the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry as a template for graduate fellowship essays, before the first crop of essays appeared on the website. With more than 50 essays now on the DOC website, my version has disappeared into oblivion. Save for on this website….