Recently, Dr. Song Dingguo, a young faculty member from the Department of Pharmacy, School of Life Sciences, published a research paper as the first author in the internationally renowned Journal of the American Chemical Society (J. Am. Chem. Soc.), a top-tier journal in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Category I (Impact Factor: 14.4). The paper, titled “Synthesis of Non-C?-Symmetric Biaryldiols via Organo-Electro Catalyzed Aryl–Aryl Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling,” was co-authored by Professor Zhong Weihui and Associate Professor Ling Fei from Zhejiang University of Technology.

　　This study introduces a novel chiral phosphoric acid/electrochemical co-catalysis strategy that enables the highly efficient asymmetric synthesis of non-C?-symmetric biaryldiols through a radical-radical asymmetric cross-coupling pathway. Biaryldiols, a class of compounds characterized by two aromatic rings connected via a single bond and bearing two hydroxyl groups, are widely found in pharmaceuticals (e.g., antiviral drugs), natural products, and chiral catalysts. However, conventional synthetic methods primarily rely on transition metal-catalyzed oxidative coupling or nucleophilic addition reactions, which have notable limitations, such as the requirement for stoichiometric oxidants, harsh reaction conditions (e.g., cryogenic temperatures), and poor selectivity in cross-coupling reactions.

　　Asymmetric electrocatalysis has gained significant attention in recent years due to its advantages of not requiring oxidants or reductants and its mild reaction conditions. However, achieving efficient cross-coupling between aromatic rings via electrocatalysis remains a major challenge, as radical intermediates tend to undergo non-selective coupling, and chiral control is difficult to achieve. In this study, the researchers developed an organoelectrocatalytic method that enables the efficient aryl–aryl dehydrogenative cross-coupling reaction, thereby facilitating the synthesis of diverse biaryldiol derivatives with high efficiency.

　　The Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) is a leading academic journal published by the American Chemical Society, covering all aspects of chemistry. It is widely recognized as one of the most authoritative journals in the field.

　　Paper Link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.4c16426

　　Correspondent: Qin Jieqiong