Recent Progress in the Cyclization Reactions Using Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a cheap, abundant and renewable C-1 feedstock. Methodology study on the transformation of carbon dioxide into highly value-added chemicals has become one of the most active topics in organic chemistry. Owing to the diversity of cyclization reaction and vast occurrence of various heterocyclic motifs in biologically important molecules, the cyclization reactions using carbon dioxide have gained much attention. This review therefore aims to principally describe the recent progress in the new cyclization reactions using carbon dioxide as feedstock to synthesize lactams, lactones, cyclic anhydrides, benzothiazoles, benzimidazoles and other heterocyclic compounds.