Organocatalysis in tetrasubstituted imidazole synthesis: A critical review of recent progress

Abstract

Tetrasubstituted imidazoles are a class of privileged heterocycles with diverse applications in medicinal chemistry, materials science, and catalysis. Organocatalysis has emerged as a powerful tool for the synthesis of these complex molecules. This review provides a critical overview of recent progress in organocatalytic approaches to tetrasubstituted imidazole synthesis, highlighting key advances, challenges, and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field. We discuss the scope of various organocatalytic strategies, and provide insights into the outcomes of these reactions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and authoritative assessment of the current state of the art in organocatalytic tetrasubstituted imidazole synthesis, and to identify future directions for research in this exciting area.