N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Redox Reactions of α-Functionalized Aldehydes

This review summarizes the recent advances on the redox reactions involving α-functionalized aldehydes catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes. In the presence of N-heterocyclic carbene, α-functionalized aldehydes such as α-haloaldehydes, α-ring-fused aldehydes, α-aryloxyacetaldehydes and α-aroyloxyaldehydes undergo the redox reactions affording novel reaction types.