Rewiring Chemistry: Algorithmic Discovery and Experimental Validation of One-Pot Reactions in the Network of Organic Chemistry

摘要

In 2005 and 2006, we published the first reports on the representation of all synthetic knowledge as a giant network in which molecule "nodes" are connected by reaction "arrows" (Figure 1). In these early works, we focused on the topological structure and evolution of this network and demonstrated the scale-free network topology, existence of hub molecules central to organic synthesis, exponential growth of the network in time, correlations between molecular masses, trends in reactivity based on network connectivity, and more. While our analyses had little applicability to the everyday synthetic practice, we envisioned that such a junction between network theory and synthesis would one day be achieved. Now, we are reporting, in three consecutive communications, the extension of chemical-network concepts into methods directly relevant to experimental chemistry: 1) discovery of one-pot reactions; 2) optimization of multiple reaction pathways, and 3) the detection and blocking of synthetic pathways leading to dangerous chemicals.