Thiazolidinones: novel insights from microwave synthesis, computational studies, and potentially bioactive hybrids

• Luan A. Martinho,
• Victor H. J. G. Praciano,
• Guilherme D. R. Matos,
• Claudia C. Gatto and
• Carlos Kleber Z. Andrade

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2618–2636, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.203

• : a) 1H NMR spectra (600 MHz, DMSO-d6) with expansions, and b) 13C NMR spectra (151 MHz, DMSO-d6) with expansions. a) Molecular structure of 3n with crystallographic labeling (50% probability displacement). b) Perspective views of intermolecular hydrogen bonds (dotted lines) of 3n. (‘) symmetry

Enantioselective radical chemistry: a bright future ahead

• Anna C. Renner,
• Sagar S. Thorat,
• Hariharaputhiran Subramanian and
• Mukund P. Sibi

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2283–2296, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.174

• Anna C. Renner Sagar S. Thorat Hariharaputhiran Subramanian Mukund P. Sibi Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, 58105-5516, USA 10.3762/bjoc.21.174 Abstract This perspective is focused on enantioselective free radical reactions. It

• the 1990s. Since then, meticulous research by several research groups has led to significant advances in this area [4][5][6][7][8]. This perspective focuses on several important contributions to the science of asymmetric radical reactions. Pioneering work on chiral Lewis acid catalysis and iminium

• catalysis is discussed initially. This is followed by the recently emerging areas of transition-metal catalysis, photoenzymatic catalysis, and electrochemistry. Perspective Radical generation and reactions Synthetic methods based on free radical chemistry are some of the most efficient and powerful tools

Solar thermal fuels: azobenzene as a cyclic photon–heat transduction platform

• Jie Yan,
• Shaodong Sun,
• Minghao Wang and
• Si Wu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2036–2047, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.159

• perspective, we systematically analyze four representative azobenzene-based solar thermal fuel systems including nanocarbon-hybrid, conjugated polymer, linear polymer, and small-molecule derivative formulations to trace their developmental trajectories and identify key limitations. Through this comparative

• far, azobenzene-based solar thermal fuels mainly include: nanocarbon-based azobenzene polymers, conjugated azobenzene polymers, linear azobenzene polymers, and azobenzene small molecule derivatives. From this perspective, we review various azobenzene-based solar thermal fuels and their potential

• azobenzene derivatives [82][83][84][85][86][87][88]. From an energy charging perspective, some solvent-free systems store energy in the solid state [89] or via photoinduced solid–liquid phase transitions [61][69][74], which occur because the melting temperature (Tm) of trans-azobenzene is above room

Stereoselective electrochemical intramolecular imino-pinacol reaction: a straightforward entry to enantiopure piperazines

• Margherita Gazzotti,
• Fabrizio Medici,
• Valerio Chiroli,
• Laura Raimondi,
• Sergio Rossi and
• Maurizio Benaglia

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1897–1908, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.147

• vicinal diamines. Historical perspective on electrochemical imino-coupling protocols. Stereoselective electroreductive intramolecular imino-pinacol reaction. Scope of the imino-pinacol coupling reaction. Reaction conditions: GC electrodes, NEt4BF4 (2.6 equiv), MsOH (3 equiv), constant current 5 mA (2.5 mA

Research progress on calixarene/pillararene-based controlled drug release systems

• Liu-Huan Yi,
• Jian Qin,
• Si-Ran Lu,
• Liu-Pan Yang,
• Li-Li Wang and
• Huan Yao

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1757–1785, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.139

• discussed the controlled drug release of single-stimulus-responsive systems, adopting a relatively simple perspective of a single stimulus-response. Multistimuli responsiveness also holds potential applications in terms of responsiveness and efficient drug release. One of the major challenges faced by

Catalytic asymmetric reactions of isocyanides for constructing non-central chirality

• Jia-Yu Liao

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1648–1660, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.129

• . Additionally, we provide a perspective on the current limitations and future opportunities, aiming to inspire further advances in this area. Keywords: axial chirality; helical chirality; inherent chirality; isocyanide; planar chirality; Introduction Chirality represents a fundamental property of molecules

• reaction type and the chirality type of resulting products. Perspective Isocyanide-based transformations Palladium-catalyzed isocyanide insertion reactions In 2018, Luo, Zhu, and co-workers developed a palladium-catalyzed enantioselective reaction between ferrocene-derived vinyl isocyanides 1 and aryl

Photocatalysis and photochemistry in organic synthesis

• Timothy Noël and
• Bartholomäus Pieber

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1645–1647, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.128

• have begun studying reactions that combine the advantages of photochemical methods and mechanochemistry. This thematic issue contains a Perspective article from the Capaldo laboratory that surveys these efforts and discusses future possibilities [38]. Without a doubt, the growing interest in light

• -mediated organic synthesis has also resulted in a renaissance of radical chemistry. Once regarded as “[…] messy, unpredictable, unpromising and essentially mysterious” [39], radical-based methods have become central to modern organic chemistry, spanning applications in the life sciences. The Perspective

Transition-state aromaticity and its relationship with reactivity in pericyclic reactions

• Israel Fernández

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1613–1626, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.125

• this perspective article, we shall show the relationship between transition-state aromaticity and reactivity in representative pericyclic reactions. Perspective Lewis acid-catalyzed Diels–Alder cycloadditions It is well-established that catalytic amounts of a Lewis acid (LA) can significantly

• electropositive magnesium atom whereas the stronger orbital interactions derive from a more stabilizing direct π(C≡P)→π*(azide) molecular orbital interaction coupled with a stronger reverse π(azide)→π*(C≡P) interaction. Conclusion Through selected representative examples, in this perspective article the interplay

Facile synthesis of hydantoin/1,2,4-oxadiazoline spiro-compounds via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to 5-iminohydantoins

• Juliana V. Petrova,
• Varvara T. Tkachenko,
• Victor A. Tafeenko,
• Anna S. Pestretsova,
• Vadim S. Pokrovsky,
• Maxim E. Kukushkin and
• Elena K. Beloglazkina

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1552–1560, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.118

• determined by the configuration of the spiro-core, while still allowing for the possibility of relative rotation to facilitate better binding to the targets. Furthermore, it appears to be as exceedingly advantageous from a synthesis perspective, as it enables the application of methods that have been

Calcium waste as a catalyst in the transesterification for demanding esters: scalability perspective

• Anton N. Potorochenko and
• Konstantin S. Rodygin

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1520–1527, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.114

Copper catalysis: a constantly evolving field

• Elena Fernández and
• Jaesook Yun

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1477–1479, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.109

• hydride catalysis, and enantiotopic group-selective allylations of 1,1-diborylalkanes as core strategies. At the same time, the authors provide detailed mechanistic insights into the stereocontrol and provide a perspective on currently unresolved challenges in the field. Concerning Full Research Papers

Tautomerism and switching in 7-hydroxy-8-(azophenyl)quinoline and similar compounds

• Lidia Zaharieva,
• Vera Deneva,
• Fadhil S. Kamounah,
• Nikolay Vassilev,
• Ivan Angelov,
• Michael Pittelkow and
• Liudmil Antonov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1404–1421, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.105

• -acceptor sites are given in red and blue, respectively. The axle of intramolecular rotation is given in green. The twisting angles α and β are indicated in magenta. Perspective switching compounds, generated by the computational quantum chemistry calculations. Relative stability (M06-2X/TZVP) and spectral

Synthetic approach to borrelidin fragments: focus on key intermediates

• Yudhi Dwi Kurniawan,
• Zetryana Puteri Tachrim,
• Teni Ernawati,
• Faris Hermawan,
• Ima Nurasiyah and
• Muhammad Alfin Sulmantara

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1135–1160, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.91

• into fragment synthesis, providing a more holistic perspective on borrelidin’s chemical synthesis and biological relevance [50]. However, in-depth works focusing on key fragment optimizations remain limited. Hence, this review aims to address this gap. Review Syntheses of borrelidin fragments Uguen’s

Study of tribenzo[b,d,f]azepine as donor in D–A photocatalysts

• Katy Medrano-Uribe,
• Jorge Humbrías-Martín and
• Luca Dell’Amico

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 935–944, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.76

• antiaromatic compound as an acceptor was previously reported (Figure 2) [31]. The dibenzo[b,d]thiophene 5,5-dioxide (5) was chosen for further investigation because of its red-shifted absorption. From a photochemical perspective, this characteristic can facilitate the use of less energetic light sources

New advances in asymmetric organocatalysis II

• Radovan Šebesta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 766–769, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.60

• already been described by Seebach et al. in 1982 [15]. From this perspective, organocatalysis is more than 100 years old, building on a long thread of illustrious past discoveries. Asymmetric organocatalysis is now considered one of the three main pillars of asymmetric catalysis, along with metal

Orthogonal photoswitching of heterobivalent azobenzene glycoclusters: the effect of glycoligand orientation in bacterial adhesion

• Leon M. Friedrich and
• Thisbe K. Lindhorst

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 736–748, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.57

• states of the bis-azobenzene glycocluster 6βGlc3αMan 1 representing different relative Man/Glc orientations. In order to put the biological properties of the previously described photoswitchable heterobivalent cluster glycoside 6βGlc3αMan 1 [24] into perspective, several relevant analogs were synthesized

Photocatalyzed elaboration of antibody-based bioconjugates

• Marine Le Stum,
• Eugénie Romero and
• Gary A. Molander

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 616–629, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.49

• proteins. By harnessing light to drive chemical transformations, photoredox techniques can facilitate the synthesis of antibody bioconjugates. This perspective will discuss the drive to develop and empower photoredox methods applied to antibody functionalization. Keywords: antibodies; bioconjugation

• functionalized antibodies. Perspective In this perspective, how light-driven chemistry can enhance the development of innovative methods for accessing antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) will be outlined. A brief introduction to photoredox chemistry as it relates to bioconjugation in proteins is followed by a

• photochemistry continues to evolve, these strategies may pave the way for the creation of more homogeneous and optimized ADCs, enhancing their therapeutic outcomes and minimizing off-target effects. This perspective highlights the exciting future of photoredox methods in the development of next-generation ADCs

Binding of tryptophan and tryptophan-containing peptides in water by a glucose naphtho crown ether

• Gianpaolo Gallo and
• Bartosz Lewandowski

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 541–546, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.42

• peptides [4][5]. Tryptophan also serves as a substrate to produce hormones such as serotonin or melatonin [6][7]. Due to the biological relevance of tryptophan synthetic receptors for this amino acid are highly sought after [8]. From a biological perspective it is especially desirable to achieve selective

Photomechanochemistry: harnessing mechanical forces to enhance photochemical reactions

• Francesco Mele,
• Ana M. Constantin,
• Andrea Porcheddu,
• Raimondo Maggi,
• Giovanni Maestri,
• Nicola Della Ca’ and
• Luca Capaldo

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 458–472, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.33

• -minimized conditions. Despite its transformative potential, the field faces significant technological challenges that must be addressed to unlock its full capabilities. In this Perspective, we analyze selected examples to showcase the available technologies to combine light and mechanical forces, including

• side, typical reactors used for classical mechanochemical synthesis are made of non-transparent materials such as stainless steel (SS), zirconia, or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), making the use of photons operationally difficult. In this Perspective, we gathered selected examples to showcase how

• of the current technological advancement in the field. This Perspective is organized into four sections based on the adopted setup for photomechanochemistry: manual grinding, vortex mixing, rod milling methods, and ball milling (Figure 2, bottom). One final note is about the solvent adopted: in some

Beyond symmetric self-assembly and effective molarity: unlocking functional enzyme mimics with robust organic cages

• Keith G. Andrews

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 421–443, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.30

• demonstrating enzyme-like rate accelerations remain rare. This perspective will briefly highlight some of the key advances in traditional cavity catalysis, by cavity type, in order to contextualize the recent development of robust organic cage catalysts, which can exploit stability, functionality, and reduced

• precision. In this perspective, I identify three clear areas for increased focus to achieve this ambition: (1) the development of modular cavities featuring sub-Ångstrom-confined bifunctionality (including frustrated charges); (2) improved access to stable cavities with reduced symmetry via self-assembly by

• that an underexplored cavity type, robust organic cages [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47], are uniquely positioned to facilitate these advances. Outline and Overview The aim of this perspective is twofold: (1) to briefly review the state of the art of cavity catalysis, highlighting the catalytic

The effect of neighbouring group participation and possible long range remote group participation in O-glycosylation

• Rituparna Das and
• Balaram Mukhopadhyay

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 369–406, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.27

• intricate details of glycosylation reactions [67][68] and different protecting groups employed in glycosylation [69]. In this review, we have compiled and critically analysed the contribution of protecting groups in glycosylation reactions both from the perspective of neighbouring group in the vicinal

Red light excitation: illuminating photocatalysis in a new spectrum

• Lucas Fortier,
• Corentin Lefebvre and
• Norbert Hoffmann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 296–326, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.22

• irradiation apparatus, e.g., UV radiation sources. Secondly, from a synthetic perspective, a broader range of substrates and catalysts can be considered as in most cases, they are incapable of absorbing red light and, consequently, cannot initiate a photocatalytic transformation, thereby minimizing the risk

Emerging trends in the optimization of organic synthesis through high-throughput tools and machine learning

• Pablo Quijano Velasco,
• Kedar Hippalgaonkar and
• Balamurugan Ramalingam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 10–38, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.3

• of suggested optimization results. Through an examination of methodologies, algorithms, and various case studies, this article offers our perspective on the state-of-the-art techniques for optimizing the synthesis of organic molecules, highlighting both challenges and prospects. The structure of this

Multicomponent reactions driving the discovery and optimization of agents targeting central nervous system pathologies

• Lucía Campos-Prieto,
• Aitor García-Rey,
• Eddy Sotelo and
• Ana Mallo-Abreu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3151–3173, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.261

• to the authors whose important contributions may not be included. By concentrating on these pivotal studies, we strive to offer a clear and concise perspective on current research trends and breakthroughs in this field. Keywords: Alzheimer; depression; epilepsy; multicomponent reactions; Parkinson

Surprising acidity for the methylene of 1,3-indenocorannulenes?

• Shi Liu,
• Märt Lõkov,
• Sofja Tshepelevitsh,
• Ivo Leito,
• Kim K. Baldridge and
• Jay S. Siegel

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3144–3150, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.260

• -perfluorophenylfluorene (28.14 in CH3CN). This work reports quantitative pKa values of BFC and FIC, places those values in a broadened context of CpH-cognate hydrocarbon acidity and presents a Clar–Loschmidt graph perspective to help understand the “surprises”. Keywords: acidity; aromatic hydrocarbon; Clar sextet

• and BFC in DMSO, respectively, so to the extent that these values are surprising, the problem must mostly come from a distortion of our perspective, and not from any dispute between theory and experiment. If that is the case, then what might be a better perspective to investigate CpH-PAH structures

• like BIC and FIC? Let us consider a perspective based on the teachings of Clar and Loschmidt. Clar held the electron sextet as the paragon of aromaticity [14] and Loschmidt considered benzene a "group element" [15]. Combining these perspectives, one can view PAH networks as graphs comprised of Clar