Jun.-Prof. Dr. Johannes C. L. Walker, University of Göttingen:
Photochemical and Stereoselective Approaches to Bridged Bicyclic Architectures

Saturated, polycyclic structures are in high demand as novel building blocks in drug discovery programmes.Their greater number of saturated, sp3-hybridised carbon atoms has been associated with an improved aqueous solubility and metabolic stability compared to their unsaturated, benzene-based analogues. Structurally rigid examples such as bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes have been proposed as bioisosteres of para-substituted benzenes but the numerous exit vectors of these and related polycyclic structures present additional opportunities for accessing untapped chemical space. Despite the potential breadth of application of these types of compounds, flexible, and particularly stereoselective, approaches for the synthesis of polysubstituted bridged bicyclic motifs remain relatively rare.