In the investigation of efficient chemical transformations, the carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions play an outstanding role. In this context, organocatalytic processes have achieved considerable attention. 1 Beside their facile reaction course, selectivity, and environmental friendliness, new synthetic strategies are made possible. Particularly, the inversion of the classical reactivity (Umpolung) opens up new synthetic pathways. 2 In nature, the coenzyme thiamine (vitamin B1), a natural thiazolium salt, utilizes a catalytic variant of this concept in biochemical processes as nucleophilic acylations. 3 The catalytically active species is a nucleophilic carbene. 4

Organocatalysis by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Asymmetric enamine catalysis.

Small-molecule H-bond donors in asymmetric catalysis.

4.2.8. Reductive Coupling 3109 5. Reaction of Aromatic Compounds 3110 5.1. Electrophilic Substitutions 3110 5.2. Radical Substitution 3111 5.3. Oxidative Coupling 3111 5.4. Photochemical Reactions 3111 6. Reaction of Carbonyl Compounds 3111 6.1. Nucleophilic Additions 3111 6.1.1. Allylation 3111 6.1.2. Propargylation 3120 6.1.3. Benzylation 3121 6.1.4. Arylation/Vinylation 3121 6.1.5. Alkynylation 3121 6.1.6. Alkylation 3121 6.1.7. Reformatsky-Type Reaction 3122 6.1.8. Direct Aldol Reaction 3122 6.1.9. Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction 3124 6.1.10. Hydrogen Cyanide Addition 3125 6.2. Pinacol Coupling 3126 6.3. Wittig Reactions 3126 7. Reaction of R,â-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds 3127

Organic Reactions in Aqueous Media with a Focus on Carbon−Carbon Bond Formations: A Decade Update

Over the past decade, the most significant, conceptual advances in the field of fluorination were enabled most prominently by organo- and transition-metal catalysis. The most challenging transformation remains the formation of the parent C-F bond, primarily as a consequence of the high hydration energy of fluoride, strong metal-fluorine bonds, and highly polarized bonds to fluorine. Most fluorination reactions still lack generality, predictability, and cost-efficiency. Despite all current limitations, modern fluorination methods have made fluorinated molecules more readily available than ever before and have begun to have an impact on research areas that do not require large amounts of material, such as drug discovery and positron emission tomography. This Review gives a brief summary of conventional fluorination reactions, including those reactions that introduce fluorinated functional groups, and focuses on modern developments in the field.

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Introduction of Fluorine and Fluorine-Containing Functional Groups

Rate enhancement of phase transfer catalyzed conjugate additions by CsCl.

Di-tert-butyl methylenemalonate (1) could be employed as a reactive equivalent of a three-carbon Michael acceptor such as acrylate in a direct asymmetric conjugate addition of aldehydes catalyzed by an axially chiral amino diol (S)-3a. Furthermore, acrylate, an unexplored and challenging substrate in enamine catalysis, has also been successfully employed in asymmetric conjugate addition reaction. Relatively inert acrylate is doubly activated by polyfluoroalkyl group of 2 and the hydroxyl group on the axially chiral amino diol catalyst (S)-3b, giving corresponding conjugate adducts in high yield with excellent enantiomeric excess. The obtained conjugate addition products were readily converted to synthetically useful and important chiral building blocks.

Powerful Amino Diol Catalyst for Effecting the Direct Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Aldehydes to Acrylates

The copper-catalyzed selective mono-N-alkylation of primary amides or arylamines using alkylsilyl peroxides as alkylating agents is reported. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions and exhibits a broad substrate scope with respect to the alkylsilyl peroxides, as well as to the primary amides and arylamines. Mechanistic studies suggest that the present reaction should proceed through a free-radical process that includes alkyl radicals generated from the alkylsilyl peroxides.

Alkylsilyl Peroxides as Alkylating Agents in the Copper‐Catalyzed Selective Mono‐N‐Alkylation of Primary Amides and Arylamines

Molecular recognition of ethers with modified organoaluminum reagents

Efficient asymmetric synthesis of spiro-2(3H)-furanones was achieved via phase-transfer-catalyzed highly enantioselective alkynylation of cyclic β-keto esters with hypervalent iodine reagents.

Keiji Maruoka

Papers

Rate enhancement of phase transfer catalyzed conjugate additions by CsCl.

Powerful Amino Diol Catalyst for Effecting the Direct Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Aldehydes to Acrylates

Alkylsilyl Peroxides as Alkylating Agents in the Copper‐Catalyzed Selective Mono‐N‐Alkylation of Primary Amides and Arylamines

Molecular recognition of ethers with modified organoaluminum reagents

Efficient asymmetric synthesis of spiro-2(3H)-furanones via phase-transfer-catalyzed alkynylation