Copper mediated carbometalation reactions

Since the first discovery of carbocupration of alkynes in the 1970s a tremendous amount of research has been carried out in this field. The exceptionally high selectivities obtained attribute to the great synthetic value of carbocupration reactions. This tutorial review will present the most important features of carbocupration of alkynes and highlight the most relevant reviews. Then a comprehensive review of copper mediated carbometalation of cyclopropenes will follow. The latter method has received much attention over the last decade as it allows the highly selective construction of poly-substituted cyclopropanes which can be transformed into acyclic derivatives bearing one or multiple tertiary or quaternary carbon stereocenters.