Themed collection 2025 Organic Chemistry Frontiers HOT articles

This review summarizes recent achievements in photosynthesis of vicinally functionalized organohalides through the halofunctionalization of alkenes.

Photobiocatalysis combines the advantages of photocatalytic and enzymatic processes, enabling diverse non-natural asymmetric transformations. We highlight recent advances in asymmetric photobiocatalysis categorized by light-enzyme coupling modes.

This review summarizes the latest research progress on photocatalytic reactions involving typical Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu metal catalysts, mainly focusing on the role of metals and light in the reaction process.

Organocatalysis has emerged as a powerful synthetic platform for classical asymmetric multicomponent reactions, demonstrating remarkable versatility in constructing diverse molecular architectures with precise stereochemical induction.

This review provides an overview of recent advancements in generating N, Si, B, and C radicals through the decarboxylation of preinstalled carboxyl substrates under visible light catalysis.

Fluorinated reagents have emerged as a valuable tool in peptide chemistry. This review summarizes recent advances in polyfluorinated reagents for peptide stapling, exploring their design principles, reaction mechanisms, and biological applications.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming molecular catalysis by addressing long-standing challenges in retrosynthetic design, catalyst design, reaction development, and autonomous experimentation.

We have provided a comprehensive analysis of the construction of N-containing heterocyclic compounds and their functionalization without the use of external photocatalysts, under UV/visible-light exposure in different conditions.

This review discusses emerging strategies in three-component, stereoselective C–N bond-forming alkene difunctionalization, emphasizing mechanistic innovations and their impact on synthetic organic chemistry.

Katritzky's pioneering studies revealed the multifaceted cycloaddition reactivities of oxidopyridinium betaines. In this review, the follow-up research into oxidopyridinium cycloadditions and their applications are discussed.

The recent advances on the application of electrocyclic reactions in the total synthesis of notable natural products are summarized.

This review summarizes the latest literature on photoredox alkene difunctionalization reactions, focusing on oxoalkylation and oxoarylation reactions, as well as CO/C–N, CO/C–P, and CO/C–O/S bond-forming procedures.

Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts have become an efficient synthon for the construction of C–C or C–heteroatom bonds, and have been widely used in the asymmetric synthesis of various new optically pure compounds.

This review focuses on the progress in catalytic asymmetric difluoroalkylation to construction of difluoroalkylated stereogenic centers. Synthetic methods, active intermediates involved and asymmetric strategies applied were summarized.

Chiral sp³-geminated bimetallic reagents based on B, Si, and Sn have drawn much attention due to their unique structure and reaction mode. This review summarizes the synthesis of nonracemic gem-borylstannyl, gem-borylsilyl, and gem-diboryl compounds.

Mechanophoric hydrogels undergo visible color changes or alterations in optical properties in response to mechanical stimuli.

The advancements in the synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles via Rh(III)-catalyzed chelation-assisted tandem C–H activation/carbene insertion/annulation with diazo compounds as carbene precursors have been summarized.

This review offers a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the asymmetric construction of C–N bonds involving radical intermediates.

Skeletal editing enables atom-level modifications to molecular skeletons. This review highlights advances in single-atom insertions, deletions, and transmutations in (hetero)cyclic systems, offering a comprehensive view on cutting-edge strategies.

This highlight discusses the synthesis strategies and topological features of nitrogen-containing bowl-shaped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

A visible-light catalyzed strategy for remote C(sp3)–H alkylation of 1-(o-iodoaryl)alkan-1-ones with N-(arylsulfonyl)acrylamides has been reported via a 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), 1,4-aryl migration, and SO2-extrusion sequence.

The first catalytic enantioselective Urech synthesis is developed via organocatalytic desymmetrization and kinetic resolution. Using easily available malonic esters and isothiocyanates as substrates, various hydantoins with aza-quaternary stereocenters are formed under simple conditions.

Radical transnitrilation of arylborons via a mild copper catalysis was developed, featuring broad scope, high functionality tolerance, scalability and practicality.

A CF₃CHN₂-extended 1,3-diiodination through interrupted alkene diiodination with carbon atom insertion under visible light was achieved for the synthesis of trifluoromethylated 1,3-diiodides.

A straightforward and green electrosynthesis of indole-fused polycyclics through radical domino couplings was developed.

Herein, B–H and N–H insertion reactions of iodonium ylides in the presence of an iron catalyst complexed with imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine are developed, achieving the borylation and amination of 1,3-dicarbonyl derivatives under mild reaction conditions.

A formal ketone β-heteroarylation via iodoarene-directed photoredox remote C(sp³)–H heteroarylation of o-iodoaryl-alkan-1-ones with heteroarenes is depicted.

An iron-catalyzed carboazidation of alkenes for the regioselective synthesis of multi-substituted cyclobutylamines was reported.

An efficient method for the one-pot synthesis of carbazoles from readily available nitroarenes and Grignard reagents is reported, featuring a light-promoted intermolecular tandem amination and C–C bond coupling reaction.

A novel method enables inter-/intramolecular benzannulation to synthesize PAHs have been disclosed. Experimental and DFT data confirm the TDRA's role in the HAA step of enolized 1,3-dicarbonyls via asynchronous PCET.

We report a photoredox-catalyzed multicomponent coupling of styrenes, isocyanides, and RAEs, enabling the efficient synthesis of diverse pseudo-4-component adducts.

Chiral ruthenium(II) complexes featuring a single labile coordination site and cyclometallation were successfully synthesized and demonstrated to be highly effective catalysts for the asymmetric reduction of aminoketones.

Despite fluorine's strong electron-withdrawing capability, α-fluorocarbanions can exhibit the α-effect. This extends the scope of the α-effect to carbanionic nucleophiles, providing new insights into this fundamental chemical phenomenon.

Synergistic electron spin control and Marcus inverted region effect for achieving the long-lived ³CS state (8.6 μs) in a TADF emitter.

An efficient and environmentally benign strategy for the synthesis of three-dimensional semi-saturated rings – cyclobutane-fused indolines via photocatalytic intermolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition/dearomatization reaction.

A new class of fatty amino acids, integrating fatty acids motifs, is synthesized in one step via palladium-catalyzed amidocarbonylation.

A new chiral ferrocene-tethered ruthenium diamine catalyst has been developed for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of different types of ketones.

An efficient and practical ^tBuOK-mediated selective 1,2-silacarboxylation of arylalkenes with CO₂ has been established. This protocol provides a convenient route to construct a wide range of β-silyl functionalized phenylacetic acid derivatives.

Asymmetric α-selective allylations of the amide unit of maleimides and alkenyloxindoles were achieved by a dual-functional In^III/N,N′-dioxide complex.