Direct Carboxylative Reactions for the Transformation of Carbon Dioxide into Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives

Carbon dioxide is the ideal one-carbon source for organic synthesis because of its abundance, lack of toxicity, and potential as a renewable resource, but is limited by its high stability and low reactivity. The carboxylation of carbon nucleophiles with carbon dioxide to form new carbon-carbon bonds is therefore an attractive method for the synthesis of carboxylic acids and derivatives, which are in turn valuable organic products. Thus, the designing of mild methods to catalytically activate carbon dioxide and form carbon-carbon bonds is a challenge that is of both academic and practical importance. This review is focused on the direct carboxylative reaction for the transformation of carbon dioxide into carboxylic acids and derivatives from the carboxylation of carbon nucleophiles, reductive hydrocarboxylation of unsaturated compounds, carboxylation via oxidative cycloaddition, carboxylation of carbon-hydrogen bonds, and electrochemical carboxylation. 1Introduction 2Carboxylation of Carbon Nucleophiles 2.1Carboxylation of Organotin Reagents 2.2Carboxylation of Organoboron Reagents 2.3Carboxylation of Organozinc Reagents 2.4Carboxylation of Other Nucleophiles 3Reductive Hydrocarboxylation of Unsaturated Compounds 4Carboxylation via Oxidative Cycloaddition 5Carboxylation of Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds 5.1Carboxylation of Terminal Alkynes 5.2Carboxylation of sp(2) Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds 5.3Carboxylation of sp(3) Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds 6 Electrochemical Carboxylation 7 Conclusion