Interstellar Carbene Intermediates

Abstract

Formation of carbon-carbon bonds is crucial in synthetic chemistry because carbon atoms are the backbone of many organic molecules of interest, including pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Carbenes are reactive intermediates composed of a neutral carbon atom that has two unshared valence electrons. These intermediates are prevalent in organic synthesis, and exhibit both a singlet or triplet electronic state, each having distinct reactive properties. Developing a deeper understanding of carbene intermediates will likely open new opportunities in synthetic chemistry. A four step synthesis was proposed to allow for derivatization of carbene precursor molecules, allowing for the investigation of carbene intermediate abundance and electronic state in relation to differing properties of the substituents.