Decarboxylative click cycloaddition: an emerging strategy towards substituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives

Abstract

1,2,3-triazole is a vital structural motif of various drugs and therapeutic leads, as well as a linker for bioconjugation and molecular recognition. Cu-catalysed click cycloaddition of azides with terminal alkynes (CuAAc) is an important reaction to construct the triazole core. In recent years, various decarboxylative click strategies utilizing alkynoic acids as stable surrogates for low boiling or gaseous alkynes have been developed. For instance, propiolic acid, which is easy to transport, is a safe alternative for flammable gaseous acetylene. In this review article, we have covered the recent development in the decarboxylative click cycloaddition of alkynoic acids with azides leading to the synthesis of diversely substituted triazoles, including monosubstituted, 1,4-disubstituted and fully substituted 1,2,3-triazoles. Various aspects such as mechanistic insights and optimization conditions/role of catalyst are highlighted.

Keywords: 1,2,3-triazole; Click chemistry; Decarboxylative cycloaddition; Huisgen reaction.