Chemoenzymatic synthesis of the cardenolide rhodexin A and its aglycone sarmentogenin

• Fuzhen Song,
• Mengmeng Zheng,
• Dongkai Wang,
• Xudong Qu and
• Qianghui Zhou

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2637–2644, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.204

• -electron demand Diels–Alder (IEDDA) reaction was utilized to successfully construct the BCD tricyclic structure with the correct configuration of the four contiguous stereocenters in just one step. However, the requirement of a series of protecting group manipulations undermined the step-economy and

Total syntheses of highly oxidative Ryania diterpenoids facilitated by innovations in synthetic strategies

• Zhi-Qi Cao,
• Jin-Bao Qiao and
• Yu-Ming Zhao

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2553–2570, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.198

• ) studies. Conversely, the “biomimetic synthesis” strategy mimics nature’s enzyme-catalyzed pathways to construct target molecules in the laboratory, offering milder reaction conditions and more concise synthetic steps, while demonstrating excellent atom economy and step economy [5][6][7]. These powerful

Comparative analysis of complanadine A total syntheses

• Reem Al-Ahmad and
• Mingji Dai

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2334–2344, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.178

• efficiency and step-economy of natural product total synthesis. This symbiotic relationship has also helped to accelerate natural product biological evaluation and the subsequent biomedical development [1]. Lycopodium alkaloids are one of the largest families of natural products [2], from which famous

Pathway economy in cyclization of 1,n-enynes

• Hezhen Han,
• Wenjie Mao,
• Bin Lin,
• Maosheng Cheng,
• Lu Yang and
• Yongxiang Liu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2260–2282, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.173

• enabling more efficient utilization of limited raw materials [1][2]. Two years later, Wender proposed “step economy” advocating optimized synthetic routes and strategies to minimize the number of steps required for constructing target molecules [3][4]. In 2008, “redox economy” was introduced by Baran [5

• circumvents cumbersome late-stage functional group manipulations and perfectly aligns with the principles of step economy, time economy, and redox economy. Over the past few decades, chemists have rapidly directed this efficient synthetic paradigm toward diverse targets by skillfully regulating reaction

Fe-catalyzed efficient synthesis of 2,4- and 4-substituted quinolines via C(sp²)–C(sp²) bond scission of styrenes

• Prafull A. Jagtap,
• Manish M. Petkar,
• Vaishnavi R. Sawant and
• Bhalchandra M. Bhanage

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1799–1807, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.142

• features of this protocol include the use of O2 as an ideal, green oxidant, operational simplicity and scalability, high atom- and step-economy, and cost-effectiveness, collectively enabling the single-step synthesis of two medicinally relevant N-heterocycles in excellent combined yields. Keywords: C–C

Recent advances in amidyl radical-mediated photocatalytic direct intermolecular hydrogen atom transfer

• Hao-Sen Wang,
• Lin Li,
• Xin Chen,
• Jian-Li Wu,
• Kai Sun,
• Xiao-Lan Chen,
• Ling-Bo Qu and
• Bing Yu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1306–1323, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.100

• C–C or C–heteroatom bonds. The incorporation of HAT strategies into the functionalization of C–H bonds represents a significant advancement in synthetic organic chemistry for their high atom economy and step economy. HAT reagents (HR), including alkoxyl, acyloxyl, halogen radicals, and amidyl

New tandem Ugi/intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction based on vinylfuran and 1,3-butadienylfuran derivatives

• Yuriy I. Horak,
• Roman Z. Lytvyn,
• Andrii R. Vakhula,
• Yuriy V. Homza,
• Nazariy T. Pokhodylo and
• Mykola D. Obushak

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 444–450, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.31

• and step-economy, making them promising for future commercial applications. Partly hydrogenated isoindoles and their derivatives exhibit broad biological activities and are considered privileged motifs in medicinal chemistry [20][21]. These compounds, when condensed with aromatics or heterocycles

Cu(OTf)₂-catalyzed multicomponent reactions

• Sara Colombo,
• Camilla Loro,
• Egle M. Beccalli,
• Gianluigi Broggini and
• Marta Papis

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 122–145, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.7

• insights were outlined as well as cycloaddition and aza-Diels–Alder reactions were included. These strategies have gained attention due to their highly atom- and step-economy, one-step multi-bond forming, mild reaction conditions, low cost and easy handling. Keywords: cascade process; copper catalysis

• toxicity [3][4][5][6][7]. Multicomponent reactions are one of the most effective methods to assemble multiple reagents, thus facilitating access to the target molecules more quickly, due to atom/step economy, short reaction times, and eco-friendly benefits. Combining multicomponent reactions with

Enantioselective regiospecific addition of propargyltrichlorosilane to aldehydes catalyzed by biisoquinoline N,N’-dioxide

• Noble Brako,
• Sreerag Moorkkannur Narayanan,
• Amber Burns,
• Layla Auter,
• Valentino Cesiliano,
• Rajeev Prabhakar and
• Norito Takenaka

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3069–3076, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.255

• -difunctionalization of borylenynes by catalytic conjugative cross-coupling [42]. Allenylation reagents that require regio-controlling auxiliaries such as a trimethylsilyl group (Scheme 2a) add steps before and/or after the reaction, thus they are less efficient in terms of atom- and step-economy [21][22][23][24][33

One-pot Ugi-azide and Heck reactions for the synthesis of heterocyclic systems containing tetrazole and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline

• Jiawei Niu,
• Yuhui Wang,
• Shenghu Yan,
• Yue Zhang,
• Xiaoming Ma,
• Qiang Zhang and
• Wei Zhang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 912–920, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.81

• and Heck cyclization reactions. The integration of the multicomponent and post-condensation reactions in one-pot maximizes the pot-, atom-, and step-economy (PASE). Keywords: Heck reaction; one-pot; tetrahydroisoquinoline; tetrazolo-pyrazino[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones; tetrazole; Ugi-azide reaction

• strategy to develop high pot, atom and step economy (PASE) syntheses [54][55][56][57][58]. We then made the effort to integrate the Ugi and Heck reactions in one-pot for making tetrazolyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines 6. Thus, a mixture of 2-bromobenzaldehyde (1a, 1 mmol), allylamine hydrochloride (2, 1

Palladium-catalyzed three-component radical-polar crossover carboamination of 1,3-dienes or allenes with diazo esters and amines

• Geng-Xin Liu,
• Xiao-Ting Jie,
• Ge-Jun Niu,
• Li-Sheng Yang,
• Xing-Lin Li,
• Jian Luo and
• Wen-Hao Hu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 661–671, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.59

• alkene followed by a nucleophilic addition, is unknown (Scheme 1b, bottom). The radical-polar crossover strategy has been steadily emerging in synthetic organic chemistry during the last few years [43][44][45][46]. This strategy allows complex chemicals to be assembled with high step economy that would

Decarboxylative 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of amino acids for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds

• Xiaofeng Zhang,
• Xiaoming Ma and
• Wei Zhang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1677–1693, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.123

• -pot, and multistep reactions in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. The methods have advantages of using readily available starting materials, performing streamlined reactions, producing diverse product structures, and having high pot, atom, and step economy (PASE) [79][80][81] for the diversity

Non-noble metal-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenation coupling (CDC) involving ether α-C(sp³)–H to construct C–C bonds

• Hui Yu and
• Feng Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1259–1288, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.94

• are widespread as essential building blocks in various drugs, natural products, agrochemicals, and materials. Modern economy requires developing green strategies with improved efficiency and reduction of waste. Due to its atom and step-economy, the cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction has

Iron-catalyzed domino coupling reactions of π-systems

• Austin Pounder and
• William Tam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2848–2893, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.196

• chemists [79]. Such coupling eliminates the need for prefunctionalization of the substrate, thus making synthetic schemes shorter and more efficient improving the atom and step-economy of the reaction. Other than the clear economic benefits CDC offers, it’s also a facile method for the coupling of sp3 C–H

Me₃Al-mediated domino nucleophilic addition/intramolecular cyclisation of 2-(2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)benzonitriles with amines; a convenient approach for the synthesis of substituted 1-aminoisoquinolines

• Krishna M. S. Adusumalli,
• Lakshmi N. S. Konidena,
• Hima B. Gandham,
• Krishnaiah Kumari,
• Krishna R. Valluru,
• Satya K. R. Nidasanametla,
• Venkateswara R. Battula and
• Hari K. Namballa

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2765–2772, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.186

• the nitrogen atom of the cyano group into heterocyclic products is still challenging for the synthetic community. In an effort to develop a synthetic strategy for 1-aminoisoquinolines with increased selectivity and step economy by minimizing the generation of byproducts, we hypothesized that if

Microwave-assisted multicomponent reactions in heterocyclic chemistry and mechanistic aspects

• Shivani Gulati,
• Stephy Elza John and
• Nagula Shankaraiah

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 819–865, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.71

• as reduction in waste generation, step-economy, minimum use of solvents, along with atom and bond-forming economy. In addition, MCRs are eco-friendly with simple purification procedures, faster reactions favoring chemo- and regioselectivity in some cases [5][6][7]. The multicomponent strategy has

Pentannulation of N-heterocycles by a tandem gold-catalyzed [3,3]-rearrangement/Nazarov reaction of propargyl ester derivatives: a computational study on the crucial role of the nitrogen atom

• Giovanna Zanella,
• Martina Petrović,
• Dina Scarpi,
• Ernesto G. Occhiato and
• Enrique Gómez-Bengoa

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 3059–3068, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.255

• substrates. Keywords: DFT calculations; gold catalysis; Nazarov reaction; N-heterocycles; Introduction In the development of new and effective catalysts, step economy is surely one of the major goals. A reduction of the number of steps in the synthesis of complex compounds can be attained by cascade

Synthesis of pyrrolidinedione-fused hexahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines via three-component [3 + 2] cycloaddition followed by one-pot N-allylation and intramolecular Heck reactions

• Xiaoming Ma,
• Suzhi Meng,
• Xiaofeng Zhang,
• Qiang Zhang,
• Shenghu Yan,
• Yue Zhang and
• Wei Zhang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1225–1233, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.106

• ]isoquinolines. The multicomponent reaction was combined with one-pot reactions to make a synthetic method with good pot, atom and step economy. MeCN was used as a preferable green solvent for the reactions. Keywords: [3 + 2] cycloaddition; Heck reaction; hexahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline; one-pot reactions

• reactions to make it a green synthetic method with pot, atom and step economy (PASE) [55][56]. Results and Discussion Following the reported procedures for amino ester- and amino acid-based [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions, pyrrolidine adducts 5 and 6 were synthesized by a three-component reaction of 1 or 2

Bipyrrole boomerangs via Pd-mediated tandem cyclization–oxygenation. Controlling reaction selectivity and electronic properties

• Liliia Moshniaha,
• Marika Żyła-Karwowska,
• Joanna Cybińska,
• Piotr J. Chmielewski,
• Ludovic Favereau and
• Marcin Stępień

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 895–903, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.81

• reductive Ullmann-type chemistry [15], catalytic direct arylations [11][14][16][17], photoinduced cyclodehydrochlorinations [18][19], or nucleophilic oxidative couplings [20], which may offer milder reaction conditions and superior regioselectivities, at the expense of atom and step economy [21]. The latter

Room-temperature Pd/Ag direct arylation enabled by a radical pathway

• Amy L. Mayhugh and
• Christine K. Luscombe

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 384–390, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.36

• growth are the expensive, toxic, and energy-intensive methods in which these materials are typically prepared [1]. Direct arylation is one solution to these problems, which allows improved atom and step economy in polymer synthesis. Traditional coupling methods form a new C–C bond using a reactive C–M

A review of asymmetric synthetic organic electrochemistry and electrocatalysis: concepts, applications, recent developments and future directions

• Munmun Ghosh,
• Valmik S. Shinde and
• Magnus Rueping

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 2710–2746, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.264

• renaissance by virtue of its greenness, sustainability, atom economy, step economy and inherent safety. Achieving stereocontrol in such organic electrochemical reactions remains a major synthetic challenge and hence demands great expertise. This review provides a comprehensive discussion of the details of

• organic chemists towards reaching targets selectively from readily available starting materials using low cost, nontoxic reagents and solvents while maintaining high atom and step economy and minimizing waste production with respect to safety standards, electroorganic chemistry (EOC) stands out as a

Progress in copper-catalyzed trifluoromethylation

• Guan-bao Li,
• Chao Zhang,
• Chun Song and
• Yu-dao Ma

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2018, 14, 155–181, doi:10.3762/bjoc.14.11

• compound were based on the use of prefunctionalized substrates. Instead, the direct trifluoromethylation of C–H bonds of arenes and heteroarenes was a more efficient and ideal protocol due to its atom and step economy. However, the direct trifluoromethylation of C–H bonds was not simple. And only in recent

A practical and efficient approach to imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-fused isoquinolines through the post-GBB transformation strategy

• Taofeng Shao,
• Zhiming Gong,
• Tianyi Su,
• Wei Hao and
• Chao Che

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2017, 13, 817–824, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.82

• , an aldehyde and an isocyanide proceeds through the isocyanide-involving formal [4 + 1] cycloaddition [39] affording the biologically important imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine scaffold. Due to the atom and step economy, high efficiency and intriguing biological profiles of the products, the GBB reaction has

N-Propargylamines: versatile building blocks in the construction of thiazole cores

• S. Arshadi,
• E. Vessally,
• L. Edjlali,
• R. Hosseinzadeh-Khanmiri and
• E. Ghorbani-Kalhor

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2017, 13, 625–638, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.61

• [69] derivatives. The synthesis of thiazoles and their hydrogenated analogues from N-propargylamines offers several advantages, such as high functional group tolerance and high atom and step economy. In continuation of our works [69][70][71][72][73][74], in this review, we will highlight the most

A new and expeditious synthesis of all enantiomerically pure stereoisomers of rosaprostol, an antiulcer drug

• Wiesława Perlikowska,
• Remigiusz Żurawiński and
• Marian Mikołajczyk

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 2234–2239, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.215

• atom and step economy. Since a detailed evaluation of the biological activity and preclinical studies requires gram quantities of each stereoisomer of 1, we sought a shorter and more efficient approach to our targets. Herein we disclose a new total synthesis of all enantiomerically pure rosaprostol