The amide functionality is found in a wide variety of biological and synthetic structures such as proteins, polymers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Due to the fact that synthetic amides are still mainly produced by the aid of coupling reagents with poor atom-economy, the direct catalytic formation of amides from carboxylic acids and amines has become a field of emerging importance. A general, efficient and selective catalytic method for this transformation would meet well with the increasing criterias for green 10 chemistry. This review covers catalytic and synthetically relevant methods for direct condensation of carboxylic acids and amines. A comprehensive overview of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic methods is presented, covering biocatalysis, Lewis acid catalysts based on boron and metals as well an assortment of other types of catalysts.

Hindered ethers represent an underexplored area of chemical space due to the difficulty and inoperability associated with conventional reactions, despite the high-value of such structural motifs in a variety of societal applications 1-2. For example, such motifs are highly coveted in medicinal chemistry, as extensive substitution about the ether bond prevents unwanted metabolic processes that can lead to rapid in vivo degradation. Demonstrated herein is an exceptionally simple solution to this problem that leverages the power of electrochemical oxidation to liberate *

Amidst the green: A green, mild and effective protocol for the direct formation of secondary and tertiary amides from non‐activated carboxylic acids and amines in good to excellent yields by employing ZrCl4 as the catalyst is presented (see scheme). The amide coupling protocol proved to be suitable for scaled up syntheses, and the mild reaction conditions conserve the enantiopurity of chiral starting materials.

The arylation of secondary acyclic amides has been achieved with diaryliodonium salts under mild and metal-free conditions. The methodology has a wide scope, allows synthesis of tertiary amides with highly congested aryl moieties and avoids the regioselectivity problems observed in reactions with (diacetoxyiodo)benzene.

Organic electrosynthesis is an enabling and sustainable technology, which constitutes a rapidly expanding field of research. Electrochemical approaches serve as convenient and green alternatives to stoichiometric and toxic chemical redox agents. Electrosynthesis constitutes a promising platform for harnessing the unique reactivity profiles of radical intermediates, expediting the development of new reaction manifolds. This Review highlights both anodic and cathodic methods for the construction of various kinds of complex molecules.

Herein, the first example of a metal-catalyzed protocol for direct amidation of nonactivated carboxylic acids at ambient temperature (26 °C) is presented. The mild reaction conditions give rise to high yields of a range of amides in reaction times as short as 90 min, employing a commercial hafnium complex, [Hf(Cp) 2 Cl 2 ], as catalyst. Amino acids are transformed into their corresponding amides without racemization, and the catalyst displays full selectivity for the amidation of carboxylic acids over esters. Electronic properties of the carboxylic acids were found to have a strong influence on the rate of the amidation reaction, and the need for a balanced amount of molecular sieves was observed to be highly important for optimal reaction outcome.

<div><div><div><p>DNA-encoded libraries (DEL)-based discovery platforms have recently been widely adopted in pharmaceutical industry, mainly due to its powerful diversity and incredible number of molecules. In the past two decades since its disclosure, great strides have been made to expand the toolbox of reaction modes that are compatible with the idiosyncratic aqueous, dilute, and DNA-sensitive parameters of this system. However, construction of highly important C(sp3)-C(sp3) linkages on DNA through cross-coupling remains unexplored. In this article, we describe a systematic approach to translating standard organic reactions to a DEL-setting through the tactical combination of kinetic analysis and empirical screening with information captured from data mining. To exemplify this model, implementation of the Giese addition to forge high value C–C bonds on DNA was studied, which represents the first radical-based synthesis in DEL.</p></div></div></div>

A simple method for the conversion of carboxylic acids to boronic esters via redox-active esters (RAEs) is reported using copper catalysis. The scope of this transformation is broad, and compared with the known protocols available, it represents the most inexpensive, rapid, and operationally simple option. In addition to a full exploration of the scope, a kinetic study was performed to elucidate substrate and reagent concentration dependences.