Abstract
Last decades have witnessed the golden rush of organocatalysis, which opened an effective and efficient way to high yielding, metal free, stereoselective strategies toward the synthesis of a plethora of natural products. The present review provides an overview of the current achievements of those organocatalytic methodologies in which active methylene compounds have been used as key intermediates. Ranging from covalent to non-covalent activation mode, from monofunctional to bifunctional catalysts, recent results suggest a variety of new powerful tools to accomplish the formal and total synthesis of both the simplest and the most complex natural compounds with facile procedures in high yields and excellent stereoselectivities. At the same time, it is clear how the organocatalytic approach might offer an outstanding and impressive answer to unsolved longstanding synthetic challenges. Finally the possible application to industrial protocols and to the preparation of novel potential drugs has been highlighted.
Keywords: Natural products, Organocatalysis, Methylene compounds, Total synthesis, Multi-step synthesis, Stereoselection, stereoselective, diarylprolinol ethers, aldehydes, SOMO-organocatalysis
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Catalytic C-H bond activation as a tool for functionalization of heterocycles
The major topic is the functionalization of heterocycles through catalyzed C-H bond activation. The strategies based on C-H activation not only provide straightforward formation of C-C or C-X bonds but, more importantly, allow for the avoidance of pre-functionalization of one or two of the cross-coupling partners. The beneficial impact of ...read more
Chemistry and Biology of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are one of the most abundant natural products and are considered to be extremely important biomolecules for their ever-increasing impact on chemistry and biology. Their role in several important biological processes, notably energy storage, transport, modulation of protein function, intercellular adhesion, malignant transformation, signal transduction, viral, and bacterial cell ...read more
Related Books
Advances in Organic Synthesis
The Synthetic Methods, Structures, and Properties of the Ca-C σ Bond Organocalcium Containing Compounds
Advances in Organic Synthesis
Chemistry of Bipyrazoles: Synthesis and Applications
Advances in Organic Synthesis
Advanced Nanocatalysis for Organic Synthesis and Electroanalysis
Advances in Organic Synthesis
Advances in Organic Synthesis
8