Recent Advances in Several Organic Reaction Mechanisms

This Review is a brief account of our theoretical contributions in seven research communications in the field of reaction mechanisms. Some mechanisms were corrected as in the case of the Baeyer-Drewsen indigo synthesis. When two very different reaction mechanisms had been proposed, as in the Clemmensen Reduction, a unified theory was provided. In other cases there were no reaction mechanisms at all, as in the Baeyer-Emmerling synthesis of indigo and in the Froehde Reaction for opioids. This deficit has been solved. The reaction that controls fructosazone regiochemistry has been described, and an internal process in a mixed osazone formation has been explained. All the proposals are based on well known reactivities and we provide complete and coherent reaction series with commented steps.