Recent Applications of Quinolinium Salts in the Synthesis of Annulated Heterocycles

Abstract

Quinoline derivatives are frequently found in natural products and biologically active compounds; however, construction of quinoline fused polyheterocycles is a challenging goal in synthetic organic chemistry. In this regard, quinolinium salts meet the demand to a great level, as they can be synthesized readily and employed effectively for rapid construction of the condensed heterocyclic core. The present review focuses on recent (2015 2021) applications of different quinolinium salts, which react with suitable partners to access diverse annulated products. Most of the reactions discussed here involve easily available starting materials, are operationally simple, offer high atom-efficiency, and are environmentally benign. Mechanistic aspects of representative transformations have also been highlighted to better understand the reaction pathways.