Sunlight-powered chemistry reduces hazardous oxidant risk
Researchers at the University of Osaka developed a light-driven method for synthesizing Davis reagents that generates the hazardous oxidant mCPBA only on demand and consumes it immediately. Kinetic analysis ...
Researchers at the University of Osaka developed a light-driven method for synthesizing Davis reagents that generates the hazardous oxidant mCPBA only on demand and consumes it immediately. Kinetic analysis showed no detectable accumulation of the oxidant, improving process safety. The reaction proceeds at room temperature in non-halogenated solvents and can use sunlight or LEDs, offering a safer, greener and scalable alternative for pharmaceutical-related synthesis. The work is published in the journal Green Chemistry.
In chemical manufacturing, one of the most difficult safety challenges is not just making useful molecules, but managing dangerous reagents along the way. This is especially true for the synthesis of Davis reagents, important tools for building pharmaceutical molecules, which has traditionally relied on bulk amounts of meta-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA), a powerful oxidant that can pose serious explosion risks during transport, storage and scale-up. Researchers at the University of Osaka have now found a way around that problem. Instead of storing the oxidant, they make it only when needed, using light and oxygen.
A research team led by Professor Shinobu Takizawa at SANKEN developed a safe and sustainable sequential process for preparing Davis reagents. Instead of handling bulk meta-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA), a powerful but potentially explosive oxidant, the method produces mCPBA in situ from meta-chlorobenzaldehyde and molecular oxygen under sunlight or LED irradiation and immediately uses it to oxidize N-sulfonyl imines.
The key advance is that the oxidant is generated only as needed. Kinetic analysis showed that mCPBA forms in the reaction mixture but does not accumulate to detectable levels because it is consumed essentially as soon as it is produced. This greatly reduces the risks associated with storing or handling bulk peracids.
The method also aligns with green chemistry principles. The reaction proceeds at ambient temperature, avoids halogenated solvents and can be driven by natural sunlight or low-energy LEDs. The researchers also demonstrated broad substrate scope and gram-scale synthesis, obtaining the target product in 76% isolated yield under sunlight.
Takizawa commented: "Developing technologies that manufacture essential compounds for fine organic synthesis in safer and more environmentally friendly ways is an important challenge for realizing a sustainable society. This work proposes a new organic synthesis process that combines safety with environmental compatibility."
"Kinetically guided on-demand mCPBA generation enables safe and sustainable light-driven synthesis of Davis reagents" was published in Green Chemistry.
Publication details
Muthu Karuppasamy et al, Kinetically guided on-demand m CPBA generation enables safe and sustainable light-driven synthesis of Davis reagents, Green Chemistry (2026). DOI: 10.1039/d6gc02210c
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Citation: Sunlight-powered chemistry reduces hazardous oxidant risk (2026, July 7) retrieved 14 July 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-07-sunlight-powered-chemistry-hazardous-oxidant.html
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