Synthesis of Functionalized Heterocycles via Oxidative Carbonylation

Abstract

With the assistance of a proper oxidant, carbonylation of two nucleophiles can take place directly in carbonylation conditions, which is defined as oxidative carbonylation. This process starts with the reaction of nucleophiles with the metal catalyst in oxidation state (M(n + 2)), followed by insertion of CO and subsequent reductive elimination, providing the carbonylated products and the metal catalyst in reduction state (M(n)). The oxidant could reoxidize M(n) to M(n + 2) to promote the catalytic cycle. Oxidative carbonylation avoids the difficult oxidative addition of R–X to metal catalyst, so this kind of carbonylation could proceed in mild conditions. What’s more is that oxidative carbonylation doesn’t need prefunctionalization of substrates. So, it’s no wonder that considerable attention has been drawn to construct important carbonylated compounds through oxidative carbonylation. Particularly, much progress in synthesis of carbonylated heterocycles via oxidative carbonylation has been achieved in the past decades. Here, we summarized the main achievements in this area from 1982 to the beginning of 2015.