This review is devoted to highlighting main achievements in the development of cascade radical cyclization of radical acceptors for the synthesis of carbo- and heterocycles.

The first enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-8-deoxyserratinine has been achieved in 15 steps from enone 4 with 7% overall yield. The key features include a highly efficient Helquist annulation to furnish the cis-fused 6/5 bicycle, facile construction of the aza nine-membered ring system employing double N-alkylation strategy, as well as asymmetric Shi epoxidation, delivering the desired beta-epoxide stereospecifically.

A novel and convenient palladium catalytic system for the synthesis of α-amino acid esters from simple starting materials is reported. Hydrogen peroxide not only acts as the green oxidant, but also as the oxygen source. This strategy for the conversion of amines and vinyl ethers into highly functionalized and structurally diverse α-amino acid esters is characterized by the simplicity of the experimental procedure, mild reaction conditions, high atom economy, scalability, and practicability.