Applications of Zirconium(IV) Chloride in Organic Synthesis

Abstract

Zirconium(IV) chloride is used extensively in organic synthesis as an ideal Lewis acid since it is an efficient, stable, inexpensive, environmentally friendly and convenient catalyst for the preparation of useful synthetic intermediates and for use in key steps of natural products synthesis. This review is broadly divided into four sections based on zirconium(IV) chloride mediated reactions (1) carbon-carbon bond-formation reactions, (2) protection and deprotection chemistry, (3) reduction reactions, and (4) other applications. This review is an attempt to cover the important advances in the field of synthetic organic chemistry that have been carried out to date.