Cascade radical cyclization is an attractive synthetic method due to its high atom- and step-economy to construct carbo- and heterocycles, which have wide applications in chemical and life science industries. Radical acceptors with unsaturated bonds play a key role in realizing highly rapid, concise, and efficient cascade radical cyclization. This Review is devoted to highlighting the latest achievements in the development of cascade radical cyclization methodologies for the synthesis of carbo- and heterocycles in this rapidly growing research field. Based on the hybridization of starting materials, this Review includes C(sp)–C(sp) bond, C(sp)–C(sp²) bond, C(sp²)–C(sp²) bond, C(sp²)–C(sp³), and carbon–heteroatom bond coupling cyclization. Representative examples mainly published in last three years will be discussed for each highlighted reaction design and mechanism, providing readers with common tools for future research in cascade radical cyclization.

This review is devoted to highlighting the main achievements in the development of methodologies for the synthesis of isoxazolines.

A new iridium-monophosphine catalyst is found to be efficient for asymmetric ring-opening of benzonorbornadiene with amines, providing a series of chiral substituted dihydronaphthalenes in high yields (up to 98%) and excellent enantioselectivities (>99%).

This review summarise the transfer hydrogenation of C=O, C=C, C=N bonds of unsaturated substrates via Cp*Ir complexes as catalysts and formic acid/formate as hydrogen sources.

An iridium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of N-heteroarenes to access a series of substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives in excellent yields is disclosed. This transformation is distinguished with water-soluble and air-stable iridium complexes as the catalyst, formic acid as the hydrogen source, mild reaction conditions, and broad functional group compatibility. Most importantly, a tentative chiral N,N-chelated Cp*Ir(III) complex-catalyzed enantioselective transfer hydrogenation is also presented, affording chiral products in excellent yields and good enantioselectivities.