Oxime Esters: Flexible Building Blocks for Heterocycle Formation

Abstract

Oxime esters as the applicable building blocks, internal oxidizing agents, and directing groups in the synthesis of -, S-, and O-containing heterocycle scaffolds have gained great attention in the last decade. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the cyclization of oxime esters with various functional group reagents under transition metal and transition metal-free catalyzed conditions. Moreover, the mechanistic aspects of these protocols are explained in detail.

Keywords: N-heterocycles; O-heterocycles; Oxime esters; S-heterocycles.