Acid-Catalyzed Organic Synthesis Techniques
Summary
Acid-catalysed methods constitute a cornerstone of modern organic synthesis, enabling the construction and transformation of a vast array of molecular frameworks. By employing proton donors (Brønsted acids) or electron-pair acceptors (Lewis acids), chemists achieve key bond-forming processes such as esterification, alkylation, acylation and glycosylation under relatively mild conditions. Homogeneous acid catalysts—including mineral acids and organocatalysts—offer precise control over reaction kinetics and selectivity, whereas heterogeneous systems and polymer-supported acids promote ease of separation, catalyst recycling and compatibility with continuous-flow technologies. Recent advances have expanded the toolkit to encompass chiral Brønsted acids for enantioselective synthesis and solid acid materials with tunable pore architectures for biomass conversion. Taken together, these developments underpin sustainable strategies for the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and fine chemicals, highlighting the global significance and versatility of acid-catalysed transformations.
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Acid-Catalyzed Organic Synthesis Techniques publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in acid-catalyzed organic synthesis techniques across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Brønsted acid: a compound that donates a proton in a chemical reaction.
Lewis acid: a species that accepts an electron pair to form a bond.
Trichloroacetimidate: an electrophilic reagent derived from alcohols and trichloroacetonitrile used for alkylation and glycosylation.
Polymer-supported catalyst: a catalyst immobilised on a solid polymer matrix for facile separation and reuse.
Carbocation intermediate: a positively charged carbon centre formed during certain acid-catalysed transformations.
References
- Acid Catalyzed N-Alkylation of Pyrazoles with Trichloroacetimidates. Organics (2022).
- Synthesis of reactive trichloroacetimidates using polymer supported DBU catalysis. Tetrahedron Letters (2024).
- Esterifications with 2-(Trimethylsilyl)ethyl 2,2,2-Trichloroacetimidate. Organics (2021).
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