Recent advances in N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalysed benzoin reactions Rajeev S. Menon1, Akkattu T. Biju2 and Vijay Nair*3 Review Open Access Address: Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 444–461. 1Department of Chemistry, Central University of Haryana, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.47 Mahendergarh, Haryana-123 029, India, 2Organic Chemistry Division, National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune Received: 15 December 2015 411 008, India and 3Organic Chemistry Section, CSIR-National Accepted: 24 February 2016 Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology,Trivandrum Published: 09 March 2016 695 019, India.; Fax: +91 471 2491712; Tel: +91 471 2490406 This article is part of the Thematic Series "N-Heterocyclic carbenes" and Email: is dedicated to Professor Ron Breslow on the occasion of his 85th Vijay Nair* -
[email protected] birthday. * Corresponding author Guest Editor: S. P. Nolan Keywords: © 2016 Menon et al; licensee Beilstein-Institut. acyloin reaction; benzoin reaction; N-heterocyclic carbenes; License and terms: see end of document. organocatalysis; umpolung Abstract N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have emerged as a powerful class of organocatalysts that mediate a variety of organic transfor- mations. The Benzoin reaction constitutes one of the earliest known carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions catalysed by NHCs. The rapid growth of NHC catalysis in general has resulted in the development of a variety of benzoin and benzoin-type reactions. An overview of such NHC-catalysed benzoin reactions is presented. Introduction The benzoin reaction (or condensation) is named after the prod- (umpolung) of one aldehyde to generate an acyl anion equiva- uct it furnishes via a catalytic assembly of two molecules of lent and this event is mediated by the catalyst.