Recent Advances in NHC-Catalyzed Chemoselective Activation of Carbonyl Compounds

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) catalysts have been employed as effective tools in the development of various reactions, which have made notable contributions in developing diverse reaction modes and generating significant functionalized molecules. This review provides an overview of the recent advancements in the chemo- and regioselective activation of different aldehydes using NHCs, categorized into five parts based on the different activation modes. A brief conclusion and outlook is provided to stimulate the development of novel activation modes for accessing functional molecules.

NHC-Catalyzed Chemoselective Reactions of Enals and Aminobenzaldehydes for Access to Chiral Dihydroquinolines

An N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed reaction between α-bromoenals and 2-aminoaldehydes has been developed. Key steps include chemoselective reaction of the NHC catalyst with one of the aldehyde substrates (the bromoenal) to eventually generate an α,β-unsaturated acylazolium intermediate. Addition of the nitrogen atom of aminoaldehyde to the unsaturated azolium ester intermediate followed by intramolecular aldol reaction, β-lactone formation, and decarboxylation leads to chiral dihydroquinolines with high optical purity. The dihydroquinoline products, which are quickly prepared by using this method, can be readily transformed into a diverse set of functional molecules such as pyridines and chiral piperidines.

Pd-catalysed carbonylative annulation of salicylaldehydes with benzyl chlorides using N-formylsaccharin as a CO surrogate

A highly efficient synthesis of 3-arylcoumarins by Pd-catalysed carbonylative cyclisation of salicylaldehydes with benzyl chlorides using N-formylsaccharin as a CO source is developed.

One-pot NHC-assisted access to 2,3-dihydropyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidin-4(1H)-ones

An efficient N-heterocyclic carbene-assisted one-pot reaction synthesis of 2,3-dihydropyrimido[4,5-d] pyrimidin-4(1H)-ones from 2-(ethoxymethylene)malononitrile, guanidines (or amidines) and ketones (or aldehyde) has been developed. The novel method provides a highly efficient synthesis of pyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidinering from materials with no heterocyclic structures.

An organocatalyst from renewable materials for the synthesis of coumarins and chromenes: three-component reaction and multigram scale synthesis

A new concept of catalysts which are prepared from renewable materials is demonstrated for the synthesis of coumarins and chromenes.