Ugi Reaction

(Ugi Four-Component Condensation, Ugi Four-Component Reaction)

This reaction is a one-pot “domino” reaction of an amine, a carbonyl compound, a carboxylic acid, and an isonitrile to form an -acylamino amide with four different substituents. This reaction is known as the Ugi reaction. Currently, other names are also used for this versatile reaction. It has been reported that many components participate in this reaction system and a single reaction step involving more than three components is disfavored due to the low kinetic probability. Thus, the overall reaction actually is the result of a domino reaction of several subreactions. Such reaction series can be divided into several groups. Besides the Ugi reaction, many multicomponent condensations have been identified till today. The study also finds high level of stereoselectivity in this reaction. This reaction has been modified by attaching one of the components to a solid phase or a fluorous phase to simplify the purification process. This reaction has wide application in the organic synthesis.

Keywords: carboxylic acid; -acylamino amide; multicomponent condensations; syn/anti diastereoisomers