4 Heterocyclic chemistry

Abstract

It has been a very active year in the arena of heterocyclic chemistry. Particular highlights include a new catalytic system for the formation of aziridines with easily removable N-protecting groups (Du Bois); two examples of catalytic asymmetric Staudinger β-lactam formation, independently reported by Fu and Lectka; the use of ynamine chemistry to access γ-butyrolactones in an asymmetric fashion (Jacobsen); and an extremely versatile methodology for the synthesis of highly substituted pyridines from Bagley and co-workers.