Recent Advances in Metal-Catalyzed Bond-Forming Reactions of Ketene S,S-Acetals

The readily available ketene S,S-acetals (ketene dithioacetals) are useful building blocks for the construction of a wide range of organic molecules and natural products. This review attempts to summarize the recent advances in the field of ketene dithioacetal chemistry since 2012, especially metal-catalyzed/metal-mediated bond-forming reactions with the emphasis on the catalysts and reaction modes based on their unique structural features. Discussions on the reaction mechanisms and the applications of the developed methods in synthesis are also included with personal comments in some cases.