Applications of Friedel–Crafts reactions in total synthesis of natural products

Abstract

Over the years, Friedel–Crafts (FC) reactions have been acknowledged as the most useful and powerful synthetic tools for the construction of a special kind of carbon–carbon bond involving an aromatic moiety. Its stoichiometric and, more recently, its catalytic procedures have extensively been studied. This reaction in recent years has frequently been used as a key step (steps) in the total synthesis of natural products and targeted complex bioactive molecules. In this review, we try to underscore the applications of intermolecular and intramolecular FC reactions in the total syntheses of natural products and complex molecules, exhibiting diverse biological properties.