# New precursors for diverse radical reactions enabled by potent photoreductants

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2022 · $293,745

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Radical intermediates generated through chemoselective single electron reduction have broad utility in the
development of valuable synthetic transformations. As a consequence, photoredox catalysis, which induces
single election transfer with exceptional selectivity for radical pathways, has shown great promise as an
enabling technology in biomedical research. However, the design underpinning current photoredox catalysts
limits the accessible reduction potentials and excludes numerous abundant feedstocks. The selective
generation of radical intermediates from substrates inert towards conventional photoredox catalysis is a long-
standing challenge with no general solutions.
This proposal is based on the discovery that electrochemistry can generate new radical anion photocatalysts
that are exceptionally potent excited state reductants but retain the selectivity of typical photoredox catalysts.
We will study how these new catalysts can be exploited to develop radical coupling reactions infeasible with
modern synthetic tactics. The three specific aims of this research center on exploring distinct but interwoven
aspects of this new catalytic platform.
Aim 1. We are exploring the ability to generate and exploit the reactivity of aryl radicals from aryl chlorides
Aim 2. We are exploring the ability to engage carbonyl compounds in reductive radical coupling reactions
Aim 3. We are exploring operationally simple strategies to access radical anion photocatalysts
These methods address long-standing challenges in a fundamental class of organic reactions, reductions.
These new catalytic systems will offer an expanded and diversified pool of starting materials from which the
next generation of drugs and molecular probes will be discovered.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10422271
- **Project number:** 1R01GM146063-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** Zachary Kimble Wickens
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $293,745
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-04-05 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10422271

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10422271, New precursors for diverse radical reactions enabled by potent photoreductants (1R01GM146063-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10422271. Licensed CC0.

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