N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Redox Reactions of α-Functionalized Aldehydes

This review summarizes the recent advances on the redox reactions involving α-functionalized aldehydes catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes. In the presence of N-heterocyclic carbene, α-functionalized aldehydes such as α-haloaldehydes, α-ring-fused aldehydes, α-aryloxyacetaldehydes and α-aroyloxyaldehydes undergo the redox reactions affording novel reaction types. Keywords: α-functionalized aldehydes, N-heterocyclic carbenes, organocatalysis, redox reaction, enantioselectivity, umpolung, ringexpansion, α -HALOALDEHYDES, α-RING-FUSED ALDEHYDES, Ring Expansion Reactions, α -ARYLOXYACETALDEHYDES, oxazolidinone, redox reactions, N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), enantioselective synthesis