New paper in Organic Letters

16 06 2025

New paper in Organic Letters

Check out our new paper in Organic Letters, co-authored by Dr. Tomasz Wdowik in collaboration with Prof. Dorota Gryko from the Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Poland and Dr. Martin P. Andersson form the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

Vitamin B12 and Micellar Solution Enable Regioselective Ring Opening of Epoxides and Aziridines with Electrophilic Olefins
Org. Lett. 2025, 27, 22, 5642–5646, DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.5c01376

Vitamin B₁₂, commonly known as a micronutrient, can also act as a powerful catalyst in organic synthesis. However, its limited solubility in organic solvents has hindered its widespread application. Conducting reactions in micellar systems offers a convenient solution, allowing both water-soluble molecules like vitamin B₁₂ and hydrophobic organic compounds to interact productively. In this study, we demonstrate that vitamin B₁₂ promotes the reaction of epoxides and aziridines with electrophilic olefins in a micellar system under photochemical conditions. The desired products are obtained efficiently and with complete regioselectivity. This green catalytic approach advances the use of vitamin B₁₂ in sustainable catalysis and provides a valuable method for synthesizing important intermediates.