Recent Development about the Use of Pyrocarbonates as Activator in Organic Synthesis: A Review

In the last years, the use of pyrocarbonates and particularly di-tert-butyldicarbonate (Boc2O) has found a renaissance in organic synthesis. Together with the classical couple Boc2O/DMAP, new synthetic strategies have been developed in the presence of environmentally benign Lewis Acids. So new syntheses of protected Boc-amines and alcohols have appeared in literature. Moreover, the use as activator in the synthesis of esters and anhydrides has received attention from different research groups. Finally an interesting and unexpected synthesis of t-butyl ethers has appeared. This review aims to cover all the literature since 1998, but not the application to the synthesis of natural products.