Metal-Catalyzed and Metal-Mediated Approaches to the Synthesis and Functionalization of Tetramic Acids

The heterocyclic ring of tetramic acids is found in naturally occurred biologically active products isolated from fungi, bacteria, molds, and sponges. Thus, these molecules have attracted significant attention as synthetic targets, and various synthetic paths have been developed. Over recent years, a growing number of catalytic approaches toward functionalized products have been established in order to overcome the limitations of the conventional methods. The present review describes the strategies for the metal-catalyzed and metal-promoted synthesis and further derivatization of tetramic acids, with emphasis on recent examples from the literature.