Phosphine catalysis of allenes with electrophiles

Abstract

Nucleophilic phosphine catalysis of allenes with electrophiles is one of the most powerful and straightforward synthetic strategies for the generation of highly functionalized carbocycle or heterocycle structural motifs, which are present in a wide range of bioactive natural products and medicinally important substances. The reaction topologies can be controlled through a judicious choice of the phosphine catalyst and the structural variations of starting materials. This Tutorial Review presents selected examples of nucleophilic phosphine catalysis using allenes and electrophiles.