A new paradigm in drug development began in the spring of last year with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval of Teva pharmaceuticals’ VMAT2 inhibitor deutetrabenazine as a new chemical entity (NCE) under its 501(b)(2) legislation. This molecule is unique in that it is the first deuterium-substituted drug to reach the market and heralds

The generation of lithium-alkoxide based aryl and heteroaryl Grignard reagents by Mg-Br/Cl exchange in toluene- increased reactivity and wide applicability. Organomagnesium-based organometallics are used extensively in organic chemistry.[1] Historically the reagents were prepared by direct insertion of magnesium metal into organic halides. With demand for more industrially applicable methods, halogen-magnesium exchange using alkyl magnesium halides

A highly diastereoselective chloride-ion driven dynamic kinetic resolution of a phosphinate ester- a key step in the synthesis of Fosdevirine Fosdevirine (or GSK2248761A, top figure) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, originally discovered by Idenix pharmaceuticals for the treatment of HIV infection. The structure is somewhat unusual in that it contains a phosphorus stereogenic centre-

One might think that this hard-hitting, students best friend (it will reduce just about anything given the right conditions and is the go-to reducing agent for exam questions involving a reduction) has little more to offer to the practising chemist. However, a recent paper by Harder etal (Angew Chem Int Ed. 2018, 57(24), 7156) demonstrates