Aryl carboxylic acids are stable and readily available in great structural diversity both from natural and well-established synthetic procedures, which make them promising starting materials in organic synthesis. The conversion of benzoic acids into high-value molecules is of great importance and have gained much interest of synthetic chemists. The recent development of single-electron (1e À ) activation strategy has been esteemed as a complementary method for the transformation of benzoic acids. In this context, carboxylate groups can be selectively transferred into reactive aryl carboxylic radical, aryl radical, and acyl radical by electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, or in the presence of some SET oxidants. Based on these radical species, remarkable advancements have been achieved for the rapid formation of various chemical bonds over the past 10 years. In this review, we summarize recent advances in single electron activation of aryl carboxylic acids, with an emphasis on reaction scope, catalytic system, limitation, and underlying reaction mechanism.

Organic azides are highly reactive, which have long established as versatile building blocks in the assembly of structurally diverse N‐containing heterocycles. The conversion of organic azides into high‐value compounds is of great importance and a subject of enormous current interest. Transition metal‐catalyzed C(sp2)−H amination/annulation of organic azides provides a powerful tool for the transformation of organic azides into a wide range of biologically important heterocyclic frameworks. In this review, we aim to summarize the recent progress on organic azides‐mediated C(sp2)−H amination/annulation for N‐heterocycle synthesis enabled by transition metal catalysts. Representative strategies are discussed in detail, including catalytic systems, reaction scopes, limitations and mechanisms.

Alcohols and carboxylic acids have been established as versatile building blocks in the assembly of various carbon frameworks. The deoxygenative functionalisation is one of the most attractive approaches for the...

A catalytic system-controlled divergent strategy is developed for the precise synthesis of cinnolines and pyrazolo[1,2-a]cinnolines via rhodium-catalysed [4+2] cyclization of readily available pyrazolidinones and iodonium ylides. A range of cinnolines...

The merger of strain–release of 1,2-oxazetidines with carboxylic acid directed C–H activation in catalytic synthesis of isoindolinones is reported for the first time. This reaction opens a new and sustainable avenue to prepare a range of structurally diverse isoindolinone skeletons from readily available benzoic acids. The success of late-stage functionalization of some bioactive acids, and concise synthesis of biologically important skeletons demonstrated its great synthetic potential in drug discovery. Mechanistic studies indicated a plausible C–H activation/β-carbon elimination/intramolecular cyclization cascade pathway.