UCLA Chemists Discover Phosphorus Can Act Like Precious Metal Catalysts

The breakthrough could lead to more affordable drug manufacturing and deter catalytic converter theft.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Researchers at UCLA have discovered a way to use inexpensive phosphorus compounds as catalysts in chemical reactions that typically require precious metals like platinum. By using a light-reactive molecule to activate the phosphorus, the team was able to mimic the behavior of transition metal catalysts that are essential for producing carbon-nitrogen bonds, a key component in many drug compounds. This discovery could help bring down the cost of certain pharmaceuticals and reduce the incentive for catalytic converter theft.

Why it matters

Precious transition metals like platinum and palladium are in high demand as catalysts for important chemical reactions, driving up costs for industries like pharmaceuticals. Finding a way to use more abundant and affordable phosphorus as a catalyst could significantly reduce production expenses for some drugs. Additionally, the reliance on these precious metals in catalytic converters has led to a rise in thefts, so a phosphorus-based alternative could deter that criminal activity.

The details

The UCLA team discovered that by using a light-reactive photocatalyst molecule, they could activate phosphine compounds to behave similarly to transition metal catalysts in a chemical reaction called hydroamination. This type of reaction is crucial for forming carbon-nitrogen bonds, a key structural component in many drug molecules. While phosphorus compounds have been used as catalysts before, the researchers found a new reactivity mode that allows phosphorus to mimic the activation of carbon-carbon double bonds, a capability typically reserved for precious metals.

  • The new research was published in the journal Nature on February 24, 2026.

The players

Abigail Doyle

A UCLA chemistry professor and the corresponding author of the study.

Flora Fan

The first author of the study and a doctoral student at UCLA.

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What they’re saying

“Carbon-nitrogen bonds are some of the most important kinds of bonds for drug discovery and manufacturing. Almost all medicines have nitrogen in them, but fixing that nitrogen into molecules is difficult, which is why we use precious transition metal catalysts.”

— Abigail Doyle, UCLA chemistry professor (Mirage News)

“We were surprised to see high reactivity for a completely different product than what we expected. It was definitely a puzzle to try to figure out what was going on.”

— Flora Fan, Doctoral student (Mirage News)

What’s next

The researchers hope to further explore the unique reactivity of phosphorus-based catalysts and how they can be applied to a wider range of chemical transformations, potentially leading to more affordable drug manufacturing processes.

The takeaway

This discovery of phosphorus mimicking the behavior of precious metal catalysts could have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry, potentially reducing production costs for certain drugs. It also presents an opportunity to address the growing problem of catalytic converter theft by providing an alternative to the valuable metals currently used in those automotive components.