Recent applications of the Nazarov reaction to stereoselective synthesis of pharmacology-relevant cyclopentenone scaffolds are summarized.

The prevalence of nitrogen containing heterocycles in natural products and pharmaceuticals is a doubtless fact. In this review, recent applications of a stereoselective aza-Michael reaction as an efficient tool for the asymmetric synthesis of naturally occurring nitrogen-containing heterocyclic scaffolds and their usefulness to pharmacology are reviewed and summarized. The available data are for the first time classified according to types of heterocyclic products and subdivided in accordance with synthetic methodologies used as key stereocontrolling steps (diastereoselective or enantioselective reactions, single bond-forming or cascade reactions, etc.). This classification is convenient for organic chemists and for researchers working in the areas of natural product synthesis and medicinal chemistry. Specific attention is paid to organocatalytic asymmetric versions of the aza-Michael reaction developed over the past decade.

A series of new 3-(aminomethyl)pyrazoles and 3-(aminomethyl)isoxazoles was synthesized along a route involving the formation as key intermediates of esters of 5-substituted 1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic and 1H-isoxazole-3-carboxylic acids. All compounds obtained were characterized by physicochemical constants, IR, ¹H, ¹³C NMR, and mass spectra.

Different synthetic approaches to functionally substituted benzylamines were examined: reductive amination of alkyl aryl ketones and reduction of aromatic aldehyde oximes. The most efficient procedure