Recent Perspectives on Rearrangement Reactions of Ylides via Carbene Transfer Reactions

Among the available methods to increase the molecular complexity, sigmatropic rearrangements occupy a distinct position in organic synthesis. Despite being known for over a century sigmatropic rearrangement reactions of ylides via carbene transfer reaction have only recently come of age. Most of the ylide mediated rearrangement processes involve rupture of a sigma-bond and formation of a new bond between pi-bond and negatively charged atom followed by simultaneous redistribution of pi-electrons. This minireview describes the advances in this research area made in recent years, which now opens up metal-catalyzed enantioselective sigmatropic rearrangement reactions, metal-free photochemical rearrangement reactions and novel reaction pathways that can be accessed via ylide intermediates.

Automated summary

Sigmatropic rearrangements, known for over a century, have recently been increasingly utilized in organic synthesis through carbene transfer reactions. These processes involve sigma-bond cleavage, formation of a new bond between pi-bond and negatively charged atom, and redistribution of pi-electrons. Recent advances in this research area have led to the development of metal-catalyzed enantioselective sigmatropic rearrangements, metal-free photochemical rearrangements, and novel reaction pathways utilizing ylide intermediates.