Science of Synthesis

Andries-Ulmer, A.; Gulder, T., Science of Synthesis: Catalytic Oxidation in Organic Synthesis, (2017) 1, 390.

Molecular halogens such as molecular chlorine or bromine are, in principle, the simplest reagents used in electrophilic halogenation reactions. Their broad application, however, is often hampered because of severe drawbacks in terms of synthetic (high reactivity accompanied by low chemoselectivity) and environmental (high toxicity) aspects, as well as in handling (hazardous, corrosive, low-boiling lachrymatory liquid or gas). The indispensable need to solve these problems has ignited great interest in the development of catalytic, reliable, ecologically benign, and safe halogenation methods.