Gregory J. P. Perry

The catalytic conversion of chemical feedstocks into products of medicinal and agricultural value is a key theme across modern synthetic chemistry. As 1,3-dienes are readily available from industrial cracking processes, there is great interest in the development of sustainable methods for the functionalization of these simple molecules. Although initial developments in this field have required precious-transition-metal catalysts, there has been a push toward the use of inexpensive, nontoxic, and

The beginning of the 21st century has seen tremendous growth in the field of decarboxylative activation. Benzoic acid derivatives are now recognised as atom-economic alternatives to traditional cross-coupling partners, and they also benefit from being inexpensive, readily available and shelf-stable reagents. In this microreview we discuss recent developments in the coupling of benzoic acid derivatives either with an arene or with a second benzoic acid derivative, a process often termed decarboxy

Constructing products of high synthetic value from inexpensive and abundant starting materials is of great importance. Aryl iodides are essential building blocks for the synthesis of functional molecules, and efficient methods for their synthesis from chemical feedstocks are highly sought after. Here we report a low-cost decarboxylative iodination that occurs simply from readily available benzoic acids and I₂. The reaction is scalable and the scope and robustness of the reaction is th

The reactivity of sulfur(IV) compounds is of great current interest among organic chemists. In this Perspective, we discuss the chemistry of sulfur(IV) (namely, sulfoxides, sulfonium salts, and sulfinates) within the area of transition-metal-free cross-couplings for biaryl synthesis. These sulfur(IV)-based methods show potential in sustainable biaryl formation and can deliver unique biaryl structures that are difficult to access by other means. This Perspective also highlights how the versatile

Despite common occurrence in molecules of value, methods for transforming sulfonamides are distinctly lacking. Here we introduce easy-to-access sulfonyl pyrroles as synthetic linchpins for sulfonamide functionalization. The versatility of the sulfonyl pyrrole unit is shown by generating a variety of products through chemical, electrochemical and photochemical pathways. Preliminary results on the direct functionalization of primary sulfonamides are also provided, which may lead to new modes of ac

The potassium salts of carboxylic acids are developed as efficient carboxylating agents through CO₂ exchange. We describe these carboxylates as dual-function reagents because they function as a combined source of CO₂ and base/metalating agent. By using the salt of a commercially available carboxylic acid, this protocol overcomes difficulties when using CO₂ gas or organometallic reagents, such as pressurized containers or strictly inert conditions. The reaction pr

Two patients with an uncommon form of glomerulonephritis are described. The main clinical features were hematuria and proteinuria associated with normal renal function. The glomerular lesions consisted of mesangial hypercellularity and capillary wall thickening. Immunofluorescence was positive for IgG and C3 in both cases. Widespread deposition of microfibrils (mean diameters 17.0 nm and 18.4 nm) within mesangial areas and capillary basement membranes was seen on electron microscopy. Congo red s

The Kolbe-Schmitt reaction is the archetypal carboxylation reaction in organic synthesis yet generally suffers from the requirement of high temperatures and CO₂ pressures. We report a Kolbe-Schmitt-type carboxylation of phenols using near equimolar amounts of a CO₂ source at relatively low temperatures. The reaction uses the cesium salt of triphenylacetic acid as a combined source of base and CO₂. Whereas the traditional Kolbe-Schmitt reaction provides products o

A unique mode of metal-halogen exchange is reported for the carboxylation of aromatic halides. The process is mediated by the potassium salt of a commercially available carboxylic acid, which acts as the source of CO₂ and metalating agent. The procedure demonstrates that readily available, bench-stable carboxylic acid salts can generate metalating agents <i>in situ</i> for metal-halogen exchange, thus avoiding sensitive and hazardous organometallics. The carboxylation proceeds under m

Abstract The potassium salts of carboxylic acids are developed as efficient carboxylating agents through CO 2 exchange. We describe these carboxylates as dual‐function reagents because they function as a combined source of CO 2 and base/metalating agent. By using the salt of a commercially available carboxylic acid, this protocol overcomes difficulties when using CO 2 gas or organometallic reagents, such as pressurized containers or strictly inert conditions. The reaction proceeds under mild con