Interrupted Nef and Meyer Reactions: A Growing Point for Diversity-Oriented Synthesis Based on Nitro Compounds

The Nef reaction (nitro to carbonyl group conversion) and related Meyer reaction are among the key transformations of aliphatic nitro compounds. The interrupted versions of these reactions in which the normal pathway is redirected to a different end product by an external nucleophile are much less common, albeit these processes substantially increase the synthetic potential of nitro compounds. In this review, examples of interrupted Nef and Meyer reactions are summarized, and the prospects of this methodology in diversity-oriented organic synthesis are analyzed. The bibliography contains 90 references.