Metal-Catalyzed Synthesis and Use of Thioesters: Recent Developments

Abstract

While thioesters are common intermediates in biochemical processes, they are much less appreciated in organic synthesis, also compared to other carboxylic acid derivatives. However, their chemistry and reactivity is intriguing and diversified, reaching much further than the acyl substitution and aldol chemistry. Herein, we focus on metal-catalyzed reactions for the synthesis of thioesters as well as their transformations. Reactions such as thiocarbonylation, cross-coupling, decarbonylation, allylic substitution or dual photoredox/metal catalysis are discussed. On one hand, new atom economic methods allow for convenient synthesis of thioesters from well available starting materials. On the other hand, various synthetically important compounds can by synthesized due to the multifaceted reactivity of thioesters that we aimed to depict.

Keywords: carbonylation; homogeneous catalysis; photocatalysis; sulfur; thioesters.