Late-Stage Fonctionalization

This illustration is of a research article by Lin's team.

The article describes a clever way to improve the effectiveness of molecules used in medicine and agriculture. The researchers have found a faster and more efficient way to add fluorine atoms to specific parts of these molecules. Their three-step process involves an electrochemical step, gentle removal of certain parts, and then precise addition of fluorine. The cool thing is that it works well for different molecules, potentially speeding up the development of new drugs and chemicals.

In my illustration, I have shown a conveyor belt that directly modifies drugs, just before they are sent to the person who needs them! The transformations and molecules shown are those described in the paper. The first machine uses electricity to form a double bond, which is then fonctionalised by the second machine!