Transition-metal-catalyzed hydrogen-transfer reactions have been used for the conversion of alcohols into benzimidazoles and aldehydes into benzoxazoles and benzothiazoles.

Something borrowed: Amine cross‐coupling reactions are catalyzed using [{Cp*IrI2}2] (Cp*=C5Me5) in the absence of a base. A range of anilines were converted into their N‐isopropyl derivatives, and the same process was also effective for alkylation of benzylamines and other aliphatic primary amines.

Amines have been directly alkylated with alcohols using 1 mol% [Cp*IrI(2)](2) catalyst in water in the absence of base or other additives.

The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuel precursors has recently been a focus of intensive research due to the essential role of biofuels as transport fuels in the future.

No abstract

[Structure: see text] Solid-phase synthesis is a rapidly developing area of organic chemistry, of particular importance for medicinal chemistry and chemical biology. Aziridines have previously only rarely been applied in solid-phase synthesis. In the present work, aminolysis of resin-bound, spring-loaded N-nitrobenzenesulfonyl-activated aziridine-2-carboxylic acids has been optimized and employed in the synthesis of a number of open-chain and heterocyclic scaffolds, including enantiopure products.

A series of binaphthalene-fused azepinium salts has been generated and used as organocatalysts in the asymmetric epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkenes, giving rise to ees of up to 84%.

Ganz ohne Basen kann der Iridiumkomplex [{Cp*IrI2}2] (Cp*=C5Me5) Kreuzkupplungen von Aminen katalysieren. Eine Reihe von Anilinen wurde in die entsprechenden N‐Isopropyl‐Derivate überführt; die gleiche Reaktion ermöglichte auch die Alkylierung von Benzylaminen und anderen aliphatischen primären Aminen.