University of Wisconsin Chemists Innovate Electron Transfer Selectivity for Synthetic Chemistry
A team of chemists from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, in collaboration with Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Boulder, has developed a novel approach to electron transfer selectivity in synthetic chemistry. Traditionally, when two reactants compete for an electron, the system favors the reactant that is easiest to reduce, often limiting the selectivity of coupling reactions. The new strategy, published in Nature, involves a catalyst that releases an electron into the solvent, allowing it to attach to any molecule it encounters. This method bypasses the need to select a single best electron acceptor, enabling more diverse coupling outcomes. The research, led by Zachary Wickens, demonstrates that selectivity can emerge after the initial electron transfer, with the intended reactant proceeding to form products while the competing reactant is recycled. 
