Synthesis 2014; 46(15): 2007-2023
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1378209
short review
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Thioureas as Ligands in Organometallic Reactions

Jingjie Li
a   Laboratory of Chemical Genomics School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R of China
,
Li-Li Shi
a   Laboratory of Chemical Genomics School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R of China
,
Jiahua Chen
b   Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science (BNLMS), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Peking University, 202 Chengfu Road, Beijing 100871, P. R. of China   Fax: +86(755)26033174   Email: zyang@pku.edu.cn
,
Jianxian Gong
a   Laboratory of Chemical Genomics School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R of China
,
Zhen Yang*
a   Laboratory of Chemical Genomics School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R of China
b   Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science (BNLMS), Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Peking University, 202 Chengfu Road, Beijing 100871, P. R. of China   Fax: +86(755)26033174   Email: zyang@pku.edu.cn
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 10 April 2014

Accepted after revision: 12 May 2014

Publication Date:
23 June 2014 (online)


Dedicated to Professor K. C. Nicolaou on the occasion of his 68th birthday and Professor Henry N. C. Wong on the occasion of his 64th birthday.

Abstract

Thioureas are air and moisture stable, and they can coordinate to various metal centers, making their derivatives versatile ligands for transition-metal-catalyzed reactions. This account provides an overview of recent developments in the use of thioureas as ligands in organometallic-catalyzed reactions, with particular emphasis on their application to the total synthesis of natural products.

1 Introduction

2 Development of Thioureas as Ligands in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Reactions

2.1 Carbonylative Annulation

2.2 Pauson–Khand Reaction (Intramolecular and Intermolecular)

2.3 Thiourea–Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Terminal Olefins

2.4 Thiourea–Palladium-Catalyzed Heck Coupling Reaction

2.5 Suzuki Coupling and Suzuki Carbonylative Reaction

2.6 Negishi Coupling

2.7 Other Reactions

3 Applications in Total Synthesis of Natural Products

3.1 (±)-Schindilactone A

3.2 Crisamicin A

4 Conclusion and Outlook