Recent Developments in the Meyer-Schuster Rearrangement

The Meyer-Schuster rearrangement is an efficient method to prepare alpha,beta-unsatured carbonyl compounds starting from propargylic alcohols and this review presents the remarkable progress made during the last decade in this reaction. New efficient catalytic systems have been discovered and many elegant applications have been reported for this rearrangement. To be noticed in particular are the new and efficient cascade processes affording a wide range of carbo- and heterocyclic molecules. Moreover, brilliant applications of this rearrangement have been described as well, in the total synthesis of complex natural products and their analogues. Finally, the first examples of aza-Meyer-Schuster rearrangements have been recently described as well.

Automated summary

The Meyer-Schuster rearrangement is an efficient method for preparing alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds from propargylic alcohols, with significant progress made in the past decade. New catalytic systems and elegant applications have been discovered, including cascade processes and total synthesis of complex natural products. Additionally, the first examples of aza-Meyer-Schuster rearrangements have recently been described.