The design and implementation of cascade reactions is a challenging facet of organic chemistry, yet one that can impart striking novelty, elegance, and efficiency to synthetic strategies. The application of cascade reactions to natural products synthesis represents a particularly demanding task, but the results can be both stunning and instructive. This Review highlights selected examples of cascade reactions in total synthesis, with particular emphasis on recent applications therein. The examples discussed herein illustrate the power of these processes in the construction of complex molecules and underscore their future potential in chemical synthesis.

Cascade reactions in total synthesis.

Carbon dioxide is often promoted as a sustainable solvent, as CO 2 is non-flammable, exhibits a relatively low toxicity and is naturally abundant. However, injudicious use of carbon dioxide in a process or product can reduce rather than enhance overall sustainability. This review specifically examines the use of CO 2 to create greener processes and products, with a focus on research and commercialization efforts performed since 1995. The literature reveals that use of CO 2 has permeated almost all facets of the chemical industry and that careful application of CO 2 technology can result in products (and processes) that are cleaner, less expensive and of higher quality.

Supercritical and near-critical CO2 in green chemical synthesis and processing

2.1.8. Michael Reaction 2245 2.1.9. Others 2247 2.2. Cyclization Reactions 2248 2.2.1. Carbon Diels−Alder Reactions 2248 2.2.2. Aza-Diels−Alder Reactions 2252 2.2.3. Other Hetero-Diels−Alder Reactions 2255 2.2.4. Ionic Diels−Alder Reaction 2256 2.2.5. 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions 2256 2.2.6. Other Cycloaddition Reactions 2258 2.2.7. Prins-type Cyclization 2259 2.3. Friedel−Crafts Acylation and Alkylation 2259 2.4. Baylis−Hillman Reaction 2263 2.5. Radical Addition 2264 2.6. Heterocycle Synthesis 2267 2.7. Diazocarbonyl Insertion 2270 3. C−X (X ) N, O, P, Etc.) Bond Formation 2271 3.1. Aromatic Nitration and Sulfonylation 2271 3.2. Michael Reaction 2272 3.3. Glycosylation 2273 3.4. Aziridination 2275 3.5. Diazocarbonyl Insertion 2276 3.6. Ring-Opening Reactions 2277 3.7. Other C−X Bond Formations 2280 4. Oxidation and Reduction 2280 4.1. Oxidation 2280 4.2. Reduction 2281 5. Rearrangement 2283 6. Protection and Deprotection 2285 6.1. Protection 2285 6.2. Deprotection 2288 7. Polymerization 2291 8. Miscellaneous Reactions 2291 9. Lanthanide(II) Triflates in Organic Synthesis 2295 10. Conclusion 2295 11. Acknowledgment 2295 12. References 2295

Rare-earth metal triflates in organic synthesis

Ionic liquids are solvents that consist entirely of ions. These nonvolatile and nonflammable solvents offer interesting opportunities for lanthanide and actinide chemistry. They can replace the organic phase in solvent extraction systems and can be used as nonaqueous electrolytes for electrodeposition of metals. Ionic liquids could find applications in the nuclear fuel cycle. Lanthanide coordination compounds or lanthanide-containing nanoparticles can be obtained via ionothermal or microwave-assisted synthesis in ionic liquids. Lanthanide-doped ionogels are a new type of luminescent hybrid materials. Ionic liquids can serve as solvents for lanthanide-mediated organic reactions, and there are several examples of high reactivity and selectivity.

Lanthanides and Actinides in Ionic Liquids

Die Entwicklung und Umsetzung von Kaskadenreaktionen hat zu beachtlichen neuartigen, eleganten und effizienten Synthesestrategien gefuhrt. Als besonders anspruchsvoll erwies sich die Anwendung von Kaskadenreaktionen in der Naturstoffsynthese, doch gerade hier winken verbluffende und zugleich aufschlussreiche Ergebnisse als Belohnung. In diesem Aufsatz werden ausgewahlte Kaskadenreaktionen in der Totalsynthese erlautert, wobei neuere Anwendungen besonders hervorgehoben werden. Die erorterten Beispiele sollen die Leistungsfahigkeit dieser Prozesse beim Aufbau von komplexen Molekulstrukturen veranschaulichen und ihr Potenzial fur zukunftige chemische Synthesen verdeutlichen.

Kaskadenreaktionen in der Totalsynthese

The Friedel-Crafts acylation of substituted benzenes proceeds smoothly by using a catalytic amount of a lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonate [Ln(OTf)3], which is easily recovered from the reaction mixture and reused without a decrease in catalytic activity.

Lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonates as reusable catalysts: catalytic Friedel-Crafts acylation

https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/s-1994-22923.pdf

Scandium Trifluoromethanesulfonate. A Novel Catalyst for Friedel- Crafts Acylation.

Rare earth metal trifluoromethanesulfonates (rare earth metal triflates, RE(OTf)3) were found to be efficient catalysts for Friedel-Crafts acylation and alkylation. In the presence of a catalytic amount of RE(OTf)3, acylation of aromatic compounds having electron-donating substituents such as anisole, thioanisole, and mesitylene with acid anhydrides proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding aromatic ketones in high yields. Although RE(OTf)3 alone is not effective for acylation of less reactive aromatics such as toluene, the combination of RE(OTf)3 and lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) enhanced the catalytic activity dramatically. Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions using rare earth metal perfluoroalkanesulfonates were also successfully performed in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). Moreover, in the presence of a catalytic amount of RE(OTf)3, aromatic compounds reacted with benzyl chloride smoothly to afford the corresponding alkylation products in high yields. In these reactions, RE(OTf)3 could be easi...

Shuichi Mitamura

Papers

Lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonates as reusable catalysts: catalytic Friedel-Crafts acylation

Scandium Trifluoromethanesulfonate. A Novel Catalyst for Friedel- Crafts Acylation.

Friedel-Crafts Reactions Catalyzed by Rare Earth Metal Trifluoromethanesulfonates

Ln(OTf)3–LiClO4 as reusable catalyst system for Friedel–Crafts acylation

A new method for the synthesis of α-arylalkanoic acids by the use of 1,2-rearrangement of the aryl group☆