Previously solar cells have employed silicon to capture energy from the sun. Here we report that silicon can also be used in organic photoredox reactions to synthesize pyrroles and pyrazoles, a common motif in pharmaceutical drugs, through the intramolecular cyclization of enamines. Synthesis of Silicon quantum dots (QDs) can be achieved through high energy ball milling (HEBM) of cheap bulk silica chips with long chain alkenes in an oxygen free environment. Various alkene capping ligands have been used to synthesize different Si QDs varying in size (2-5 nm). We report that our Silicon QDs afford high chemical stability under several solvents such as dichloromethane and acetonitrile. Advantages of silicon QDs over other photocatalysts include but are not limited to: high selectivity, economical synthesis, and non-toxicity. Si QDs show promising capabilities in photoredox reactions and potential drug synthesis.

Silicon quantum dots for synthesis of pyrroles and pyrazoles

2019 Fall National Meeting

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