Assembly of functionalized carbocycles or N-heterocycles through a domino electrocyclization–[1,2] migration reaction sequence

Abstract

The development of processes that streamline the synthesis of complex, functionalized carbocycles and heterocycles remains a hotly pursued topic because their scaffolds are present in a range of bioactive molecules and electronic materials. Although the Nazarov reaction has emerged to be useful in the synthesis of carbocycles and heterocycles, using an electrocyclization to trigger a migration remains underdeveloped. By constructing several bonds in one operation, domino reaction sequences are particularly effective at improving the efficiency of synthesis. The use of transition metal catalysts has the potential to render these processes stereoselective. This review examines the use of electrocyclization–[1,2] migrations to construct molecules and is organized by the type of ring constructed and the order of the two steps in this process.