Abstract
Recent developments in the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed umpolung of aldehydes
followed by their interception with activated carbon–carbon double bonds, namely the
Stetter reaction, are presented. Advances in the inter- and intramolecular versions
of this reaction, enantioselective transformations as well as the use of unactivated
olefins in this type of reaction are discussed.
1 Introduction
2 Proposed Mechanism of the Stetter Reaction
3 Intramolecular Stetter Reactions
4 Intermolecular Stetter Reactions
5 Hydroacylation Reactions
6 Applications in Total Synthesis
7 Conclusion
Key words
N-heterocyclic carbenes - Stetter reaction - organocatalysis - umpolung - asymmetric
catalysis