Non-conventional redox chemistry of dihydropyridines and pyridinium salts

The classical redox chemistry of the NADH-NAD(+) cofactors and their synthetic analogues (dihydropyridines and pyridinium salts) has been extended to non-biomimetic processes. These involve reactions that bypass the electron transfer processes and alloy the functionalization of the heterocyclic parent systems with a broad variety of carbon-and heteroatom-based functional groups. The scope of the methodology, and its applications to organic synthesis are analyzed.