Carbonylative Synthesis of 1,4-Diketones

1,4-Diketones act as versatile precursors for heterocycles and functional molecules, holding critical roles in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. Their synthesis has evolved from early noncarbonylative approaches (Stetter-type reactions and enolonium-type reactions) plagued by lengthy prefunctionalization and low atom economy, to carbonylative strategies utilizing CO as a C1 source, which include transition metal-catalyzed carbonylation and radical carbonylation. This review integrates representative studies to systematically summarize recent carbonylative methods, analyze reaction mechanisms, and explore the effects of temperature/pressure/solvent/ligand on reactivity, aiming to provide a basis for designing efficient 1,4-diketone synthesis procedures.