Project description
The potential of next-generation fluorinated molecules
Fluorinated molecules play a crucial role in life sciences, with up to 50 % of agrochemicals and 20 % of pharmaceuticals featuring fluorinated motifs. The trifluoromethyl group is particularly prevalent. However, its stability issues limit its applications. In this context, the ERC-funded Give-Me-Five project aims to develop the pentafluorosulfanyl motif, a ‘super trifluoromethyl’ alternative that offers enhanced stability. The project will tackle two main challenges: the toxicity and limited reactivity of current pentafluorosulfanyl radical precursors. By creating shelf-stable pentafluorosulfanyl electrophiles and advancing new synthetic methods, Give-Me-Five seeks to unlock the potential of pentafluorosulfanyl-containing compounds, revolutionising agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and materials science.
Objective
The Give-Me-Five project will provide the next generation of fluorinated molecules that found plethora of applications in life science. Currently up to 50% of agrochemicals as well as 20% of pharmaceuticals contain a fluorinated motif. As an example, the trifluoromethyl (CF3) group is one of the most used fluorinated motifs in research and development. Although several research programs have been dedicated to the synthesis of CF3-molecules with numerous CF3-reagents being developed, recent reports pointed out a major stability drawback of the CF3 moiety impacting its usefulness. Thus, developing more stable fluorinated motifs that could replace the CF3 group is urgent. In this context, pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5) motif is considered as a “super trifluoromethyl motif” since it is more stable than the CF3 motif. However, two major drawbacks should be overcome to unlock the potential of SF5 molecules: (i) current direct methodologies to introduce the SF5 motif rely on scarcely commercially available and highly toxic SF5Cl – a SF5 radical precursor, and (ii) this precursor features a very limited reactivity. Although the availability and toxicity concerns have been recently addressed in my lab by developing an in situ protocol to generate and use SF5Cl, the problem of poor reactivity remains. Here, I propose to tackle this challenge by designing new, more sustainable and stable electrophilic SF5 sources
To provide the first general direct synthesis of SF5-molecules we will:
1. Synthesize the first shelf-stable family of reagents prone to be SF5 electrophile donor
2. Apply the new shelf-stable reagents to forge heteroatom-SF5 bonds
3. Develop a copper catalyzed approach to forge C-SF5 bonds using our shelf-stable reagents
This endeavour could provide the first direct general synthesis of SF5-molecules, paving the way to the next generation of fluorinated molecules. Hence, it will foster developments of agrochemical, pharmaceutical as well as material containing SF5 motif
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
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75794 PARIS
France
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