Barton_decarboxylation
The Barton decarboxylation is a radical reaction in which a carboxylic acid is converted to a thiohydroxamate ester (commonly referred to as a Barton ester). The product is then heated in the presence of a radical initiator and a suitable hydrogen donor to afford the decarboxylated product.[1][2] This is an example of a reductive decarboxylation. Using this reaction it is possible to remove carboxylic acid moieties from alkyl groups and replace them with other functional groups.[3][4] (See Scheme 1) This reaction is named after its developer, the British chemist and Nobel laureate Sir Derek Barton (1918–1998).