Abstract
This review summarizes our recent studies on the synthesis of nitrogencontaining heterocycles using cyclizations of N-alkenylcarbamoylmethyl radicals. These reactions are classified into several types of ring closures including relatively difficult 4-exo-trig and 5-endo-trig cyclizations which provide β- and γ-lactams, respectively. Sulfur-controlled exo-selective aryl radical cyclizations onto enamides and radical translocation/cyclization of aryl radicals generated from 2-alkenyl- or 2-alkynyl-N-(o-halobenzoyl) pyrrolidines are also described. The particular emphasis has been placed on the applications of these methods to the synthesis of natural products.
