Nickel catalyst unlocks hard-to-make β-amino alcohols

What happened

These groups, important building blocks in biology and medicine, are found in compounds such as sphingosine and ephedrine. Many molecules in living organisms and pharmaceuticals share a structure called a β-amino alcohol, in which an amino group and a hydroxyl group sit on neighboring carbon atoms.

Key facts

• These groups, important building blocks in biology and medicine, are — found: in compounds such as sphingosine and ephedrine