Enantiomerically enriched diaryl, aryl heteroaryl, and dihetero­aryl alcohols are an important family of compounds known for their biological properties. Moreover, these molecules are highly privileged scaffolds used as building blocks for the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant products. This short review provides background on the enantioselective arylation and heteroarylation of carbonyl compounds, as well as, the most significant improvements in this field with special emphasis on the application of organometallic reagents.1 Introduction2 Background on the Enantioselective Synthesis of Diaryl, Aryl Heteroaryl, and Diheteroaryl Alcohols3 Organozinc Reagents4 Organolithium Reagents5 Grignard Reagents6 Organoaluminum Reagents7 Organotitanium Reagents8 Organobismuth Reagents9 Miscellaneous10 Conclusion

A new catalytic protocol for the synthesis of selenoesters from aryl iodides and diaryl diselenides has been developed, where formic acid was employed as an efficient, low-cost, and safe substitute for toxic and gaseous CO. This protocol presents a high functional group tolerance, providing access to a large family of selenoesters in high yields (up to 97%) while operating under mild reaction conditions, and avoids the use of selenol which is difficult to manipulate, easily oxidizes, and has a bad odor. Additionally, this method can be efficiently extended to the synthesis of thioesters with moderate-to-excellent yields, by employing for the first time diorganyl disulfides as precursors.

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylation reaction has surfaced as a robust tool for insertion of the carbonyl group into organic molecules, and in the last decades enormous progress has been made. Nowadays, a plethora of methodologies is available to synthesize all kinds of carbonyl compounds. However, the focus has shifted during recent years to address rising concerns related to developing safe, cost-efficient, and more sustainable methodologies. The use of different carbon monoxide (CO) precursors/sources, avoiding handling of highly toxic and flammable gaseous carbon monoxide, and substituting nonrenewable solvents for those derived from renewable feedstock have contributed to aim these goals. In this review, we will discuss the advent of the application of renewable solvents to improve the sustainability and environmentally benign nature of Pd-catalyzed carbonylation reactions.

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