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CAS Registers 40 Millionth Substance in CAS registry

28 Nov 2008 - CAS Registry now includes 40 million organic and inorganic substances. CAS Registry Number(R) 1073662-18-6 recently was assigned to an azulenobenzofuran derivative. The 40 millionth substance was identified by a team of CAS scientists,C.H. Oh,J.H. Lee,S.J. Lee,J.I. Kim, andC.S. Hong. The journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition published their findings on November 21, 2008.
 
Titled "Intramolecular Huisgen-Type Cyclization of Platinum-Bound Pyrylium Ions with Alkenes and Subsequent Insertion into a Benzylic C-H Bond," the article describes a novel method for the synthesis of polycyclic substances with "a central seven-membered carbocycle," including the 40 millionth substance.
 
Such polycyclic substances are core structural components in certain naturally occurring chemicals, including Taxol(R) (CAS Registry Number 33069-62-4), a chemotherapeutic drug derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. More efficient methods to synthesize these polycyclic substances may lead to improved synthesis of Taxol, its analogs, and other potentially important pharmaceuticals.