Developments in the Chemistry of α-Carbonyl Alkyl Bromides.

α-Carbonyl alkyl bromides are powerful reactive species for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. Strategies relying on intermolecular C-H functionalization and cross-coupling reactions, also referred to as intramolecular cyclization, have been employed for the construction of alkenes, alkanes, ketones, and other natural-product-like ring compounds from simple alkynes, alkenes, and 1,n-enynes. In view of the importance of these α-carbonyl alkyl bromides, especially the difluoro carbonyl alkyl bromides, many researchers have focused their efforts to develop facile and mild synthetic methods for compounds with important biological activities. This review aims to briefly discuss the latest developments in the transformation of α-carbonyl alkyl bromides with emphasis on the related reaction mechanisms.