Construction of Oxygen- and Nitrogen-based Heterocycles from p-Quinone Methides

In the last few years, there has been an explosive growth in the area of para-quinone methide (p-QM) chemistry. This boom is actually due to the unique reactivity pattern of p-QMs, and also their remarkable synthetic applications. In fact, p-QMs serve as synthons for unsymmetrical diaryl- and triarylmethanes, and also for the construction of diverse range of carbocycles and heterocycles. In the last few years, a wide range of structurally complex heterocyclic frameworks could be accessed through the synthetic transformations of structurally modified stable p-QMs. Therefore, the main focus of this review article is to cover the recent advancements in the transition-metal, Lewis acid and base-catalyzed/mediated synthetic transformations of the stable p-quinone methides (p-QMs) to oxygen- and nitrogen-containing heterocycles.

Automated summary

The explosive growth in the area of para-quinone methide (p-QM) chemistry in recent years is attributed to the unique reactivity pattern of p-QMs and their diverse synthetic applications, allowing for the synthesis of unsymmetrical diaryl- and triarylmethanes, as well as a variety of carbocycles and heterocycles. This growth has led to the access of structurally complex heterocyclic frameworks through the synthetic transformations of structurally modified stable p-QMs, focusing on transition-metal, Lewis acid, and base-catalyzed/mediated synthetic transformations to oxygen- and nitrogen-containing heterocycles.