AUTHOR=Mohlala Reagan Lehlogonolo , Rashamuse Thompho Jason , Coyanis Elena Mabel TITLE=Highlighting multicomponent reactions as an efficient and facile alternative route in the chemical synthesis of organic-based molecules: a tremendous growth in the past 5 years JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry VOLUME=12 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2024.1469677 DOI=10.3389/fchem.2024.1469677 ISSN=2296-2646 ABSTRACT=

Since Strecker’s discovery of multicomponent reactions (MCRs) in 1850, the strategy of applying an MCR approach has been in use for over a century. Due to their ability to quickly develop molecular diversity and structural complexity of interest, MCRs are considered an efficient approach in organic synthesis. Although MCRs such as the Ugi, Passerini, Biginelli, and Hantzsch reactions are widely studied, this review emphasizes the significance of selective MCRs to elegantly produce organic compounds of potential use in medicinal chemistry and industrial and material science applications, as well as the use of the MCR approach to sustainable methods. During synthesis, MCRs provide advantages such as atom economy, recyclable catalysts, moderate conditions, preventing waste, and avoiding solvent use. MCRs also reduce the number of sequential multiple reactions to one step.