Organic synthesis with the most abundant transition metal–iron: from rust to multitasking catalysts

The promising aspects of iron in synthetic chemistry are being explored for three-four decades as a green and eco-friendly alternative to late transition metals. This present review unveils these rich iron-chemistry towards different transformations.

CuBr2-catalyzed enantioselective routes to highly functionalized and naturally occurring allenes

CuBr₂-catalyzed highly enantioselective synthesis of functionalized 1,3-disubstituted allenes including three natural ones from readily available terminal alkynes, aldehydes, and (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol has been demonstrated.

Harmony of CdI2with CuBr for the one-pot synthesis of optically active α-allenols

A highly efficient one-pot synthesis of chiral α-allenols from propargylic alcohols, aldehydes and pyrrolidine induced by CuBr and (R,R_a)-N-PINAP or (R,S_a)-N-PINAP and CdI₂has been developed.

General CuBr2-catalyzed highly enantioselective approach for optically active allenols from terminal alkynols

A copper(ii) bromide-catalyzed highly enantioselective direct synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted allenols from commercially available aldehydes, terminal alkynols and (R)- or (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol has been developed.

A concise construction of carbohydrate-tethered axially chiral allenes via copper catalysis

Here we observed that CuBr₂ may smoothly catalyze the highly diastereoselective three-component reaction of carbohydrates bearing a terminal alkyne unit, aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes, and (R) or (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol, affording carbohydrates bearing the chiral 1,3-substituted allene entity in 94–99% de.