A simple, inexpensive way to make carbon atoms bind together
An image of tert-butane, the simplest quaternary carbon. Credit: Scripps Research A Scripps Research team uncovers a cost-effective method for producing quaternary carbon molecules, which are critical for drug development. LA JOLLA, CA — The active ingredient in many drugs is what’s known as a small molecule: bigger than water, much smaller than an antibody and mainly made of carbon. It’s tough, however, to make these molecules if they require a quaternary carbon — a carbon atom bonded to four other