Skip to main content
Log in

Catalysis

Triumph of a chemical underdog

  • News & Views
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

In the fable of the tortoise and the hare, the reptilian slowcoach beats its fleet-footed rival in a race. A zinc catalyst recreates this story by giving a less reactive chemical group a turn of speed over a rival group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Figure 1: Selective reactions with a zinc catalyst.

References

  1. Ohshima, T., Iwasaki, T., Maegawa, Y., Yoshiyama, A. & Mashima, K. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130, 2944–2945 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gardossi, L., Bianchi, D. & Klibanov, A. M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113, 6328–6329 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sharpless, K. B. & Michaelson, R. C. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 95, 6136–6137 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Janda, K. D. et al. Science 259, 490–493 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lewis, C. A. & Miller, S. J. Angew. Chem. Int. Edn 45, 5616–5619 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kharasch, M. S. & Tawney, P. O. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 63, 2308–2316 (1941).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sontag, N. O. Chem. Rev. 52, 237–416 (1952).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Stanton, M. G. & Gagne, M. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 119, 5075–5076 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hoerter, J. M. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 5177–5183 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Peris, G., Miller, S. Triumph of a chemical underdog. Nature 452, 415–416 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/452415a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/452415a

  • Springer Nature Limited

Navigation