Oxygenation of a polycyclic substrate through digestion by an insect

https://www.jst.go.jp/pr/announce/20250606/pdf/20250606.pdf

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp9384

The insertion of oxygen atoms into carbon belt and ring molecules was achieved after feeding the substrates to tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura). The insects processed a carbon nanoring, methylene-bridged [6]cycloparaphenylene, through a xenobiotic pathway. Of those tested, only S. litura survived, and examination of its excretions showed that it converted this molecule to an unusual oxylene derivative in 10% yield. For [n]cycloparaphenylenes, oxygen atoms were inserted into the bonds between phenyl groups.

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