Hydrogen-Atom Transfer Reactions

The cascade [1,n]-hydrogen transfer/cyclization, recognized as the tert-amino effect one century ago, has received considerable interest in recent decades, and great achievements have been made. With the aid of this strategy, the inert C(sp3)–H bonds can be directly functionalized into C–C, C–N, C–O bonds under catalysis of Lewis acids, Brønsted acids, as well as organocatalysts, and even merely under thermal conditions. Hydrogen can be transferred intramolecularly from hydrogen donor to acceptor in the form of hydride, or proton, followed by cyclization to furnish the cyclic products in processes featuring high atom economy. Methylene/methine adjacent to heteroatoms, e.g., nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, can be exploited as hydride donor as well as methylene/methine without heteroatom assistance. Miscellaneous electrophilic subunits or intermediates, e.g., alkylidene malonate, carbophilic metal activated alkyne or allene, α,β-unsaturated aldehydes/ketone, saturated aldehydes/iminium, ketenimine/carbodiimide, metal carbenoid, electron-withdrawing groups activated allene/alkyne, in situ generated carbocation, can serve as hydride acceptors. This methodology has shown preeminent power to construct 5-, 6-, or 7-membered heterocyclic as well as carbon rings. In this chapter, various hydrogen donors and acceptors are adequately discussed.