Themed collection Celebrating the 90th birthday of Professor Lu Xiyan

In this highlight, cooperative multi-catalyst systems, especially bismetallic- and organo-catalyst mediated asymmetric relay reactions, are presented.

The present review outlines the recent methodologies for selective arylation of natural nucleophilic residues within unprotected peptides and proteins promoted by arylpalladium complexes, which demonstrate the advantages and potential of organometallic palladium complexes in bioconjugation.

A PN³P–Rh(I) complex realizes the selective carbonylation of benzene to benzaldehyde without irradiation.

A systematic investigation on the influence of sulfonyl substituents on the decomposition of N-sulfonylhydrazones at room temperature is described.

A visible light-mediated photocatalyst-free approach for the oxidative α-CH functionalization of N-aryl tertiary amines with secondary phosphine oxides has been developed.

A supramolecular polyrotaxane network, based on a CD-based inclusion complex and porphyrin derivative, was synthesized by imine condensation reactions. Then it could be applied as a heterogeneous catalyst for generating singlet oxygen under photoirradiation, which showed its good ability to photooxidize anthracene derivatives.

Salyunnanin A and hassanane, two C₂₃ terpenoids, were achieved from (+)-carnosic acid in 6 and 5 steps, respectively.

Under visible light irradiation, a three-component reaction of potassium alkyltrifluoroborates, sulfur dioxide and alkynes with the assistance of photocatalysis and in the presence of copper(II) triflate is described. This transformation affords (E)-vinyl sulfones efficiently with excellent regioselectivity and stereoselectivity under mild conditions.

An electrochemical synthesis of functionalized 7-membered carbocycles through a 5-exo-trig/7-endo-trig radical cyclization cascade has been developed.

The first chiral norbornene scaffold-promoted asymmetric Catellani-type reaction using aryl iodides is reported.

A novel metal-free dehydrocoupling approach for constructing allylic sulfides via oxidative allylic C–H functionalization with high atom- and step-economy has been developed.

Chiral 2,2′-bipyridine ligands are key to success in an enantioselective desymmetric C–O cross coupling reaction via dual visible light photoredox and nickel catalysis, resulting in chiral 1,4-benzodioxanes under mild reaction conditions.

A carbene-catalyzed enantioselective [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction is developed and quarternary α-amino phosphonates are afforded with encouraging anti-bacterial activities.

Described herein is an iridium(III)-catalyzed oxidative Ar–H/Ar–H cross-coupling of primary benzamides with thiophenes for the synthesis of (2-thienyl)benzamides.

Metal free 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between alkenylazaarenes and nitrones has been developed for the synthesis of 4-substituted isoxazolidines and 5-substituted isoxazolidines in good yields and selectivities.

Palladium-catalyzed denitrogenative cycloadditions and alkenylations of benzotriazoles with alkynes have been achieved under different conditions, which enable the divergent syntheses of three types of valuable scaffolds.

Conductive fullerenes, with mild solution-processing capabilities, are developed as electron transporting materials for efficient organic and perovskite solar cells.

An efficient strategy for the dearomatization of both α- and β-naphthols using in situ generated oxy-allyl cations is reported.

Concomitant anti-Markovnikov hydrofunctionalization of alkenes and oxidation of remote alcohols are achieved through intramolecular 1,5(6)-hydrogen atom transfer.

An efficient method for the synthesis of optically active N-alkyl aziridines has been realized for the first time by stereospecific reductive cyclization of optically active α-mesylated acetamides. A series of optically active N-alkyl aziridines are prepared in moderate to good yields and excellent ees.

A novel rearrangement of cycloketoxime esters to cyano-containing benzoates beyond the traditional Beckmann and Neber rearrangement process has been established in the presence of photocatalysis catalysis.

A well-designed fluorescence displacement sensing array based on calixarene receptors realizes the discrimination of glycosaminoglycans.

A new type of 2,4-dienal featuring a benzofulvene skeleton is utilised in asymmetric Diels–Alder cycloadditions with 3-olefinic oxindoles via trienamine catalysis.

An electro-generated trifluoromethyl radical mediated by a bromide ion is efficiently applied to the trifluoromethylarylation/cyclization of N-arylacrylamides.

The synthesis of swermirin features two sequential regioselective Stille couplings and a spontaneous 6π-electrocyclization.

An efficient Cu(I)-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted Z-enol esters via interrupting the 1,3-O-transposition process is reported, which provided a convenient approach to highly functionalized Z-enol esters.

A highly efficient copper-catalyzed oxidative functionalization of benzylic C(sp³)–H bonds with quinazoline 3-oxides has been developed.

A new gold-catalyzed cascade cyclization of N-propargyl ynamides involving a presumable vinyl cation intermediate has been developed, allowing the efficient and practical synthesis of various functionalized indeno[1,2-c]pyrroles.

A Pd(II)-catalyzed [3 + 2] spiroannulation of α-aryl-β-naphthols with internal alkynes has been developed by relying on a C–H activation/arene dearomatization approach.

Intramolecular oxysulfonylation of alkenes with the insertion of sulfur dioxide promoted by visible light is developed, leading to sulfonated tetrahydrofurans and related compounds in moderate to good yields.

An efficient and green carbon disulfide surrogate via facile combination of potassium sulfide and chloroform has been developed.

Palladium-catalyzed regioselective electrocarboxylation of homostyrenyl acetates with CO₂ has been successfully developed, providing α-aryl carboxylic acids with good selectivity and yield.

Sulfur mediated propargylic C–H alkylation was realized through a one-pot procedure with modest yields and substrate scope. Hopefully, the community could find a better solution to this challenge by some novel metal-catalyzed reactions.

Herein, we report the first Pd-catalyzed carbonylation of unactivated aryl C–H bonds in benzamides under 1 atm of CO₂ to directly afford important phthalimides.

A new, strong, and barium cation-responsive host–guest recognition motif based on twisted cucurbit[15]uril and paraquat was established in water.

The Pd/Cu-catalyzed intramolecular C–H bond aminocarbonylation utilizing imines as the amine source has been developed. This transformation provides an efficient and straightforward protocol for the synthesis of phthalimides which widely exist in natural products, pharmaceutical and functional materials. Various functional groups are tolerated and the yields are up to 99%.

A novel azidoheteroarylation of unactivated olefins by means of intramolecular distal heteroaryl migration is herein reported.