Direct Carboxylative Reactions for the Transformation of Carbon Dioxide into Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives

Carbon dioxide is the ideal one-carbon source for organic synthesis because of its abundance, lack of toxicity, and potential as a renewable resource, but is limited by its high stability and low reactivity. The carboxylation of carbon nucleophiles with carbon dioxide to form new carbon–carbon bonds is therefore an attractive method for the synthesis of carboxylic acids and derivatives, which are in turn valuable organic products. Thus, the designing of mild methods to catalytically activate carbon dioxide and form carbon–carbon bonds is a challenge that is of both academic and practical importance. This review is focused on the direct carboxylative reaction for the transformation of carbon dioxide into carboxylic acids and derivatives from the carboxylation of carbon nucleophiles, reductive hydrocarboxylation of unsaturated compounds, carboxylation via oxidative cycloaddition, carboxylation of carbon–hydrogen bonds, and electrochemical carboxylation. 1 Introduction 2 Carboxylation of Carbon Nucleophiles 2.1 Carboxylation of Organotin Reagents 2.2 Carboxylation of Organoboron Reagents 2.3 Carboxylation of Organozinc Reagents 2.4 Carboxylation of Other Nucleophiles 3 Reductive Hydrocarboxylation of Unsaturated Compounds 4 Carboxylation via Oxidative Cycloaddition 5 Carboxylation of Carbon–Hydrogen Bonds 5.1 Carboxylation of Terminal Alkynes 5.2 Carboxylation of sp 2 Carbon–Hydrogen Bonds 5.3 Carboxylation of sp 3 Carbon–Hydrogen Bonds 6 Electrochemical Carboxylation 7 Conclusion