The first Lewis base-catalysed chemoselective asymmetric N-allylic alkylation of enamides with Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates has been developed, which affords multifunctional products in moderate to high enantioselectivity (up to 92% ee).

A novel palladium-catalyzed approach to 2-amino ketones from arylpropargylic carbonates bearing neutral, electron-rich, and electron-poor aromatic rings and cyclic secondary amines containing useful functional groups such as cyano, chloro, and bromo substituents has been developed.

The regioselective and enantiospecific rhodium-catalyzed allylic amination of secondary allylic carbonates with N3-benzoyl thymine in conjunction with a stereoselective free radical cyclization provides a convenient method for the construction of a new conformationally rigid nucleoside.

Mollusk shells contain many isotopic clues about calcification physiology and environmental conditions at the time of shell formation. In this review, we use both published and unpublished data to discuss carbon isotopes in both bivalve and gastropod shell carbonates. Land snails construct their shells mainly from respired CO2, and shell δC reflects the local mix of C3 and C4 plants consumed. S...

Tubular microporous organic networks bearing imidazolium salts (T-IM) were prepared by Sonogashira coupling of tetrakis(4-ethynylphenyl)methane and diiodoimidazolium salts, which showed promising catalytic activities in heterogeneous conversion of CO(2) into cyclic carbonates.

The structural requirements of amidines necessary to act as efficient O- to C-carboxyl transfer agents are delineated and the scope of this process outlined through its application to a range of oxazolyl, benzofuranyl and indolyl carbonates.

We have developed a very active bifunctional porphyrin catalyst showing a high turnover number (TON = 103,000) for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO(2) and epoxides under solvent-free conditions.

Recent advances in chiral-phosphine-catalyzed asymmetric annulation reactions; including annulations of allenes, alkynes, Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates, and ketenes; and their applications in the synthesis of bioactive molecules and natural products are reviewed.