Transition metal catalysed cascade C–C and C–O bond forming events of alkynes

Abstract

The past few decades have witnessed the emergence of domino reactions as a powerful tool for the multi-functionalization of alkynes for the rapid and smooth construction of complex molecular architectures. In this context, employing transition metal catalysis, vicinal/geminal cascade functionalization of alkynes involving C–C and C–O bond-formation reactions, has become a preferred strategy for the synthesis of oxygenated motifs. Despite this significant progress, reviews documenting such strategies are either metal/functional group-centric or target-oriented, thus hampering further developments. Therefore, in this review, different conceptual approaches based on C–C and C–O bond-forming events of alkynes such as carboxygenation (C–C and CO bond formation), carboalkoxylation (C–C and C–OR bond formation), and carboacetoxylation (C–C and C–OAc bond formations) are discussed, and examples from the literature from the last two decades are presented. Further, we have presented detailed insights into the mechanism of different transformations.