RADICAL ENDEAVOURS: THE PURSUIT OF NOVEL RADICAL CYCLISATION TECHNOLOGIES

This thesis describes attempts to develop new technically clean radical cyclisation technologies. The work focuses on novel radical oxidation processes, whereby selective hydrogen-atom abstraction forms carbon-centred radicals able to undergo intermolecular radical additions, or cyclisation to form 5- 6-membered rings.

A new and unreported cyclisation pathway has been identified, albeit a low yielding pathway. This novel N-halosuccinimide cyclisation technology constructs cyclic architectures of med-chem importance and crucially without the requirement for tin or other toxic metals. Particularly noteworthy was the use of N-iodosuccinimide to promote cyclisation of dihydro-isoindol-1-one derivatives.