title: Recent progress in the catalytic synthesis of imidazoles.
abstract: Imidazole is one of the important heteroaromatic compounds that have found a broad range of uses in, for example, pharmaceutical and industrial applications. Several conventional methodologies for the synthesis of imidazole rings are known; however, they are limited in terms of substrate generality and are not always efficient. Recent studies toward the development of catalytic reactions have brought significant improvements to the preparation of imidazoles. This Focus Review highlights the very recent progress in the catalytic synthesis of imidazoles, particularly those involving the formation of five-membered ring cores.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. skamijo@mol.f.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamijo
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D003500:Cyclization; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D007093:Imidazoles; D008670:Metals; D010165:Palladium