Heterocycle Synthesis through Pd-Catalyzed Carbonylative Coupling

Heterocyclic chemistry is one of the most important and attractive areas of organic chemistry. It involves the preparation of compounds endowed with very high structural diversity and plays a central role in a multitude of highly developed areas: fine chemicals, drugs, flavors, dyes, engineered materials, and many other kinds of products contain at least one heterocyclic ring in their molecular structure. Therefore, the discovery of new methods for heterocycle synthesis is a significant objective of modern organic chemists, especially if prepared in environmentally benign and synthetically efficient ways. In this context, this minireview focuses on the synergy of two green strategies, namely multicomponent reactions and palladium-catalyzed carbonylations, for the construction of a wide variety of heterocyclic systems. These processes are of considerable interest because they combine synthetic efficiency with respect for the environment.