Recent advances in the synthesis of heterocycles and pharmaceuticals from the photo/electrochemical fixation of carbon dioxide

In recent years, the deployment of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a renewable and benign building block in the assembly of bioactive heterocycles and pharmaceuticals has become one of the most appealing topics in the CO2 utilization. In this context, the photo/electrochemical approaches are acknowledged as powerful toolkits in the manufacture of CO2-based heterocycles and pharmaceuticals, which enables the CO2 valorization to take place in a more mild-mannered and eco-friendly conditions with respect to other chemical patterns. In this review, several typical examples on the photo/electrochemical fixation of CO2 into divergent heterocyclic scaffolds and important pharmaceuticals are highlighted. Furthermore, the detailed mechanistic descriptions of various synthetic paradigms are also described to provide a better understanding on the success of these strategies. (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This review article summarizes the recent progress in converting carbon dioxide into bioactive heterocycles and pharmaceuticals using photo/electrochemical methods. It highlights several examples of synthetic paradigms and provides detailed mechanistic descriptions to better understand the success of these strategies.