Recent Approaches in Transition Metal-Catalyzed Chalcogenative Heteroannulation of Alkenes and Alkynes

Abstract

Organochalcogen-bearing heterocycles are important scaffolds in compounds under the spotlight of scientific interest in optoelectronic fields and for biological applications. The use of transition metals has been a versatile and reliable way to carry out the synthesis of these molecules efficiently, delivering products in high yields and with a wide functional diversity. In the last 10 years, many classes of heterocycles have been synthesized under the cyclization reaction of acyclic alkenes and alkynes with the incorporation of a chalcogen atom on its structure. Transition metal catalysts including Cu, Co, Pd, Ni, In, Ag, and Fe salts have been used in the development of new methodologies, the expansion of substrate scope, and mechanistic studies. This review provides an overview of these recent approaches with the aim of being a useful resource for interested researchers in this area.