Synthetic Access to Aromatic α-Haloketones

alpha-Haloketones play an essential role in the synthesis of complex N-, S-, O-heterocycles; of which some exhibit a remarkable biological activity. Research further illustrated that alpha-bromo-, alpha-chloro-, and alpha-iodoketones are key precursors for blockbuster pharmacological compounds. Over the past twenty years, substantial advances have been made in the synthesis of these industrially relevant building blocks. Efforts have focused on rendering the synthetic protocols greener, more effective and versatile. In this survey, we summarised and thoroughly evaluated the progress of the field, established in the past two decades, in terms of generality, efficacy and sustainability.

Automated summary

Research has shown that α-haloketones play a crucial role in the synthesis of complex heterocycles and pharmacological compounds, and efforts have been made to improve their synthetic methods in terms of sustainability.