N-Heterocyclic carbene/Brønsted acid cooperative catalysis as a powerful tool in organic synthesis

Abstract

The interplay between metals and N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) has provided a window of opportunities for the development of novel catalytic strategies within the past few years. The recent successful combination of Brønsted acids with NHCs has added a new dimension to the field of cooperative catalysis, enabling the stereoselective synthesis of functionalized pyrrolidin-2-ones as valuable scaffolds in heterocyclic chemistry. This Commentary will briefly highlight the concept of N-heterocyclic carbene/ Brønsted acid cooperative catalysis as a new and powerful methodology in organic chemistry. © 2012 De Vreese and D'hooghe; licensee Beilstein-Institut.