A novel cascade organocatalysis that allows efficient and rapid access to diverse and structurally complex oxazolidin-2-ones from simple starting materials and catalysts has been developed. A possible mechanism of this reaction has been proposed based on D- and 13C-labeling experiments.

A new and efficient synthesis of highly substituted tetrahydroimidazole derivatives by means of visible light-induced intramolecular cyclization reactions has been described. This photoredox catalytic reaction exhibited high diastereoselectivity and afforded the desired products in good yields.

Batting the ylides: A simple procedure carried out under mild conditions allows the direct and efficient synthesis of structurally diverse indoles. This approach involves a cascade reaction of sulfur ylides and N-(ortho-chloromethyl)aryl amides.

A novel organocatalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters with stabilized sulfur ylides using C(2)-symmetric urea as a hydrogen-bond catalyst has been described. This reaction allows an efficient access to 1,2,3-trisubstituted cyclopropane derivatives in moderate to good yields with up to 16:1 dr and 90:10 er under mild reaction conditions. The mechanism study proved that the high stereoinduction originated from the cooperative effect of the hydrogen-bond catalyst.

A catalytic asymmetric aza-Michael-Michael addition cascade of anilines to nitroolefin enoates in the presence of chiral bifunctional thiourea catalysts has been disclosed. This reaction provides a mild and efficient approach to polysubstituted chiral 4-aminobenzopyrans bearing three consecutive stereocenters in high yields with excellent stereoselectivities.