Photocatalysis on Benzylic Bromination using Visible Light — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

Instructions

Student presentations must have a faculty sponsor.

Abstracts must include a title and a description of the research, scholarship, or creative work. The description should be 150-225 words in length and constructed in a format or style appropriate for the presenter’s discipline.

The following points should be addressed within the selected format or style for the abstract:

A clear statement of the problem or question you pursued, or the scholarly goal or creative theme achieved in your work.
A brief comment about the significance or uniqueness of the work.
A clear description of the methods used to achieve the purpose or goals for the work.
A statement of the conclusions, results, outcomes, or recommendations, or if the work is still in progress, the results you expect to report at the event.

Presenter photographs should be head and shoulder shots comparable to passport photos.

Additional Information

More information is available at carthage.edu/celebration-scholars/. The following are members of the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Committee who are eager to listen to ideas and answer questions:

Jun Wang
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Nora Nickels
Andrew Pustina
James Ripley

Photocatalysis on Benzylic Bromination using Visible Light

Name: Juana Carrera
Major: Biology
Hometown: Pleasant Prairie
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project

Name: Alina Lopez
Major: Biology
Hometown: Waukegan
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Course project

Abstract

Radical bromination is an important reaction in organic synthesis for the formation of carbon-bromine bonds. Traditionally, radical bromination has been accomplished using high energy, ultra-violet light. We are investigating a more sustainable method for radical bromination that uses visible light. In our approach, a photocatalyst is excited with visible light. The excited photocatalyst then abstracts a hydrogen atom from a benzylic carbon to make a carbon radical. The carbon radical then abstracts a bromine atom from an organic bromine source to yield the brominated product. Preliminary results have shown that bromotrichloromethane may be used effectively as a bromine radical source for the radical bromination of several different substrates. The current goal of this research project is to optimize the radical bromination conditions by exploring a variety of reaction variables, such as solvent, light source, equivalents of reagents, etc. Future goals of this research are to explore the substrate scope of the radical bromination and to adapt the reaction to be conducted in flow.