A New Plan, a New Breakthrough

Oxygen-containing hybrid ring compounds have molecular skeletons that are widely found in many natural products with important biological activities, as well as in artificially synthesized drug molecules.

In order to obtain the target molecule in high yield, Shen Qi and his team designed a new synthetic route; however, the yield of C01C-2 remained very low.

"You two have worked hard." Shen Qi sat in front of the computer, seemingly having a new idea.

"We are not very capable, and we have disappointed Director Shen," Old Yan said apologetically. He and Cheng Haonan both had master's degrees in chemistry, but perhaps because their academic qualifications were too low, they were unable to complete the task assigned by Director Shen well.

"Old Yan, do me a favor. Go to the math department and give this to Ou Ye." Shen Qi handed Old Yan a file folder containing math materials.

"Okay." Old Yan took the file bag, feeling a sense of crisis. If he didn't complete the research task well, he would be demoted to a menial worker.

Shen Qi took out a few vouchers and handed them to Cheng Haonan: "Old Cheng, there's a newly opened restaurant across the street from the east gate of the school. The food is pretty good. Here are some vouchers. Go get some food to go, and we'll have lunch together."

"OK." Cheng Haonan also felt a sense of crisis; he had been reduced to delivering takeout.

Old Yan and Cheng Haonan left the center with heavy steps, each going about their own business as instructed by Shen Qi.

Compared to developing a new organic reaction, delivering some documents to Madam Shen or ordering takeout was not difficult, and the two quickly completed their tasks and returned to the center.

The whiteboard was covered with chemical formulas and reaction steps, which appeared to have been written by Shen Qi.

"This is..."

"Could this be...?"

Old Yan and Cheng Haonan were both shocked. In just half an hour, Director Shen had come up with a new plan?

"Come on, let's eat and chat." Shen Qi pointed to the takeout box that Cheng Haonan was carrying.

The three of them ate fish and meat while discussing the optimization plan for C01C-2.

Shen Qi was the one doing most of the talking, while the other two listened attentively.

"Based on your work, I have conducted an analysis. Even under optimal conditions, it is difficult to proceed with the reaction using o-methoxybenzyl alcohol instead of o-carboxybenzyl alcohol and o-carboxystyrene. Using methyl-protected styrene instead of o-carboxystyrene and o-carboxybenzyl alcohol also fails."

"Therefore, I speculate that the possible activation mode of this reaction is that chiral phosphoric acid simultaneously forms hydrogen bonds with the intermediate generated in situ from o-carboxybenzyl alcohol and o-carboxystyrene, promoting this 4+2 cycloaddition reaction and thus increasing the overall yield of C01C-2. From the perspective of reaction mechanism, it is reasonable to deduce that the electronic effect of substituents has a certain influence on the enantioselectivity of this reaction. Of course, these are all my speculations, and everything is subject to experimental data." Shen Qi explained his ideas during a lunch break.

After lunch, Old Yan and Cheng Haonan went to the Chemistry Laboratory to verify Shen Qi's hypothesis.

The two men had mixed feelings. If Shen Qi's speculation was correct, then a new and valuable organic reaction would be born in the Yenching University laboratory, which was exciting news.

This also shows that Old Yan and Cheng Haonan's academic level is far inferior to Shen Qi's.

The two of them had been working on it for months without getting a satisfactory result, while Shen Qi solved it in the time it takes to eat a meal.

The academic problems could only be solved by Shen Qi's intervention, and Old Yan and Cheng Haonan pessimistically believed that their own necessity was diminishing.

"Old Yan, do you think Director Shen is really that amazing?"

"It must be admitted that Director Shen's theoretical knowledge is extremely profound, almost unfathomable. Once he starts showing off, it's so impressive that it's incomprehensible, yet he seems incredibly skilled."

"Damn it, you added the wrong thing!"

Cheng Haonan roared and immediately stopped the experiment.

The two men were so engrossed in their conversation that Old Yan mistakenly added dichloroethane to the reaction vessel instead of a catalyst. This error in the reagent addition process caused the laboratory to be filled with smoke.

"I was distracted, damn it!" Old Yan handled the experimental error discreetly, without reporting it to the center's leadership. He increased the ventilation and restored the laboratory to normal operation.

The two dared not gossip about Director Shen anymore and focused solely on their experiments.

The experiment lasted for two days and two nights. As a new day dawned and the sun rose.

The target product was successfully synthesized; it was C01C-2. It was synthesized nearly a hundred times by Old Yan and Cheng Haonan over several months, but none of them were successful.

Will the same mistake happen again this time?

After completing the tests, including 1H NMR, 1C NMR, and IR spectroscopy, Old Yan gave a blank look. "The total yield reached 55%..."

Cheng Haonan murmured, "An ee value of 70%... Shen Qi, a genius indeed."

The experimental data was perfect, which meant that Shen Qi's new reaction was reasonable. The addition of this reaction would cause the total yield of C01C-2 to surge from less than 1% to 55%.

C01C-2 is an enhanced version of C01C, and theoretically possesses safer drug properties.

Of course, the safety profile of C01C-2 still needs to be confirmed through animal experiments and clinical trials.

For Old Yan and Cheng Haonan, as chemists, improving an experimental procedure to obtain a target compound with a yield more than 50 times was an incredible feat.

But they couldn't pull off this incredible feat.

"Director Shen's actions are truly unfathomable, yet undeniably admirable." Old Yan preserved the experimental data; regardless, they had both participated in the experimental process regarding this new reaction.

Cheng Haonan comforted Old Yan: "Brother, we need to adjust our roles. Actually, you and I are both skilled operators, while the most advanced route design and reaction mechanism research are the work of chemists, the work of Director Shen. What we need to do is execute Director Shen's synthesis strategy and complete the specific synthesis experiments. To put it bluntly, we are just two lab dogs with strong hands-on skills. Once you understand this, you might not be so upset."

"Your comments are too honest; they've made me extremely uncomfortable." Old Yan finally understood. Why had he felt a sense of crisis before? Why had he been saddened and upset by the unattractive data, even doubting his own academic abilities?

Because Old Yan had spent a long time with Shen Qi, he took Shen Qi as his role model, and he wanted to do what Shen Qi could do.

However, as it turns out, what Shen Qi could do easily, Old Yan and Cheng Haonan couldn't do even if they racked their brains.

"Everyone's brain is structured differently. Let's go, let's report our results to the leader." Cheng Haonan and Old Yan brought the experimental data to the Director's Office and excitedly reported their findings.

The two men clearly defined their roles, and for a long time, they found it difficult to become strategic planners and imaginative chemists.

Love what you do. No matter what position you hold, just do your job well. Everyone can find happiness and create a life value that matches their own identity in the ordinary.