Dearomatization of α-Unsubstituted β-Naphthols

Abstract This Account summarizes the highly appealing dearomatization reactions of β-naphthols for the synthesis of highly functionalized, three-dimensional structures starting with simple planar aromatic compounds. The reactions are categorized mainly from the viewpoint of the construction of carbon–hydrogen, carbon–carbon, and carbon–hetero bonds (C–N/O, C–Cl, C–F) at the α-position of β-naphthols. The dearomatized products play an important role in organic synthesis and materials science. 1 Introduction 2 Construction of Carbon–Hydrogen Bonds at the α-Position of β-Naphthols 3 Construction of Carbon–Carbon Bonds at the α-Position of β-Naphthols 4 Construction of Carbon–Nitrogen/Oxygen Double Bond at the α-Position of β-Naphthols 5 Construction of Carbon–Carbon and Carbon–Oxygen Bonds at the α-Position of β-Naphthols 6 Construction of Carbon–Halogen Bonds at the α-Position of β-Naphthols 7 Conclusion