Samarium metal and samarium diiodide have become important tools as selective cyclopropanating agents in organic synthesis due to their high chemo- and stereoselectivity. Therefore, Sm and SmI2 are the ideal reagents to prepare cyclopropane derivatives. This tutorial review highlights C–C multiple bond cyclopropanation processes promoted by samarium or samarium diiodide.
20 November 2006 in Angewandte Chemie International Edition