Recent developments in the difunctionalization of alkenes with C–N bond formation

Abstract

The difunctionalization of carbon–carbon double bonds, introducing two novel functional groups onto both sides of the carbon–carbon bond in one pot, has become more and more attractive as a powerful tool in the synthetic community to improve the complexity of molecules. Among the available approaches, the difunctionalization of alkenes involving nitridization, such as diamination, azidation, oxyamination, carboamination, aminohalogenation, nitration and so on, has always been a research hotspot in organic synthesis owing to the broad existence of N-containing functional groups in bioactive compounds, natural products, organic ligands, and other high-nitrogen energetic compounds. In this review, we focus on recent research progress relating to the difunctionalization of alkenes involving the participation of a N source, and some related mechanisms are also provided here. Although significant achievements have been reported, there is still some space for further developments. This review will facilitate an understanding of the difunctionalization of alkenes involving the participation of N atoms and it can further stimulate the additional development of novel synthesis strategies based on these reported alkene difunctionalization approaches.