Synthesis of diverse phenylglycine derivatives via transformation of Ugi four-component condensation primary adducts

Stefano Marcaccini: a pioneer in isocyanide chemistry

Stefano Marcaccini was one of the pioneers in the use of isocyanide-based multicomponent reactions in organic synthesis. Throughout his career at the University of Florence he explored many different faces of isocyanide chemistry, especially those geared towards the synthesis of biologically relevant heterocycles. His work inspired many researchers who contributed to other important developments in the field of multicomponent reactions and created a school of synthetic chemists that continues today. In this manuscript we intend to review the articles on isocyanide multicomponent reactions published by Dr. Marcaccini and analyse their influence on the following works by other researchers. With this, we hope to highlight the immense contribution of Stefano Marcaccini to the development of isocyanide chemistry and modern organic synthesis as well as the influence of his research on future generations. We believe that this review will not only be a well-deserved tribute to the figure of Stefano Marcaccini, but will also serve as a useful inspiration for chemists working in this field.

Enols as feasible acid components in the Ugi condensation

Heterocyclic enols are used for the first time as acid components in an Ugi-type multicomponent condensation. For that purpose, we have chosen enols containing a Michael acceptor, in order to facilitate an irreversible rearrangement of the primary Ugi adduct. The new four-component process leads readily and efficiently to heterocyclic enamines containing at least six elements of diversity.