Recent advances in N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed radical reactions

Abstract

The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed reactions involving two-electron reaction pathway have been well-established. However, the development of NHC-catalyzed radical reactions is still in its infancy in terms of reaction types and enantioselectivity. In the past decade, several elegant NHC-catalyzed radical reactions have been developed, including NHC-catalyzed oxidation of aldehydes to esters, reductive coupling reactions using Breslow intermediate as SET reductant and NHC-catalyzed reactions via radical homoenolates, dienoaltes and trienolates. This review summarizes the recent advances in NHC-catalyzed reactions involving radical intermediates.