Epoxides and Aziridines from α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes

Abstract

Epoxides and aziridines are very useful small heterocycles. The synthesis of these threemembered heterocycles including those derived from α,β-unsaturated aldehydes is a dynamic area of research. Among numerous approaches to construction of three-membered cycles with O- or Nheteroatoms are metallo- and organocatalysis. This review summarizes and highlights the methods for the synthesis of epoxides and aziridines via transformations of α,β-enals, which have been developed over the last 10 years. Keywords: α, β-Uunsaturated aldehydes, epoxides, aziridines, asymmetric organocatalysis, aziridines, biologically active compound.