On Oct. 11, 2024, scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced they had successfully developed technology that enables the easy editing and correction of oxygen atoms in furan compounds into nitrogen atoms, directly converting them into pyrrole frameworks, which are widely used in pharmaceuticals.

Many drugs have complex chemical structures, but their efficacy is often determined by a single critical atom. Atoms like oxygen and nitrogen play a central role in enhancing the pharmacological effects of these drugs, particularly against viruses. This phenomenon, where the introduction of specific atoms into a drug molecule dramatically affects its efficacy, is known as the “Single Atom Effect.”

The research team developed a photocatalyst that acts as a “molecular scissor,” freely cutting and attaching five-membered rings, enabling single-atom editing at room temperature and atmospheric pressure—a world first. The research was published in the prestigious scientific journal Science under the title “Photocatalytic Furan-to-Pyrrole Conversion.”