Electric shock brings diamines to life

By Katrina Krämer2017-08-11T09:25:00

Propose mechanistic design principle for 1,2-diamine synthesis

Source: © Science

A combination of electrochemistry and organic catalysis transforms alkenes into hard-to-make vicinal diamines

Organic chemists in the US have zapped alkenes with an electrical current to make vicinal diamines. These useful structures appear in many bioactive molecules, such as the antiarrhythmic lidocaine.