The synthetic uses of molecular iodine are described. This chapter discusses the versatile uses of iodine in heterocyclic synthesis. Iodine is a universal oxidizing agent, a mild and nontoxic Lewis acid catalyst, and it catalyzes various organic reactions with high efficiency and selectivity. Also, iodine acts as an electrophile-nucleophile dual activator in the reactions. Further applications are the introduction of protecting groups, deprotection, iodocyclization, C-C bond formation, and formation of heterocycles. It is quite clear from the growing number
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