Recent advances in controllable/divergent synthesis

The development of streamlined methodologies for the expeditious assembly of structurally diverse organic architectures represents a paramount objective in contemporary synthetic chemistry, with far-reaching implications across pharmaceutical development, advanced materials innovation, and fundamental molecular science research. In recent years, controllable/divergent synthetic strategies for organic functional molecules using common starting materials have garnered significant attention due to their high efficiency. This review categorizes recent literatures focusing on key regulatory factors for product divergent formation, in which controlling chemical selectivity primarily relies on ligands, metal catalysts, solvents, time, temperature, acids/bases, and subtle modifications of substrates. To gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying reaction activity and selectivity differentiation, the review provides a systematic analysis of the mechanisms of critical steps through specific case studies. It is hoped that the controllable/divergent synthesis concept will spark the interest of practitioners and aficionados to delve deeper into the discipline and pursue novel advancements in the realm of chemical synthesis.