‘Stunning’ discovery boosts magic methyls

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/newly-discovered-magic-methyl-reaction-could-turbocharge-potency-some-drugs?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=2033dfb840-briefing-dy-20200318&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-2033dfb840-44992633

‘Stunning’ discovery boosts magic methyls

Researchers have found “a dream reaction” that should make it easier and cheaper to insert ‘magic methyl’ groups into many drugs. The magic methyl effect drastically increases the potency of bioactive molecules by replacing single hydrogen atoms with methyl groups. The resulting reshaped molecule interacts more easily with its biological targets. “This paper is just stunning,” says organic chemist Tim Cernak. “This is the wish [of] every drug hunter.”

Science | 5 min readReference: Nature paper