Recent advances in N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalysed benzoin reactions

Abstract

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have emerged as a powerful class of organocatalysts that mediate a variety of organic transformations. The Benzoin reaction constitutes one of the earliest known carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions catalysed by NHCs. The rapid growth of NHC catalysis in general has resulted in the development of a variety of benzoin and benzoin-type reactions. An overview of such NHC-catalysed benzoin reactions is presented.

Keywords

• acyloin reaction
• benzoin reaction
• N-heterocyclic carbenes
• organocatalysis
• umpolung