The reaction of 2-alkynyl-1-azaspiro[2.3]hexanes with a platinum catalyst is described. 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]pyrroles having a variety of substituents were conveniently synthesized via a cascade cyclization/ring-expansion process.

The reaction of 2-amidophenylmalonates with 1,4-diacetoxybut-2-ene in the presence of a palladium catalyst is described. Substituted tetrahydroquinolines having a vinyl group at the 3- or 2-position were synthesized, in which the regioselectivities of the double allylic substitution reactions have been altered depending on the substituent on the amino group.

The enantioselective total syntheses of enokipodins A and B, α-cuparenone-type sesquiterpenoids with antimicrobial activity, have been achieved. The key step is the enantiospecific construction of the quaternary carbon center using a palladium-catalyzed addition of an arylboronic acid to an allene followed by an Eschenmoser−Claisen rearrangement.

Highly substituted chromans have been constructed in a highly stereoselective manner by a palladium-catalyzed reaction of propargylic carbonates with 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)acetates. Enantioselective reactions also successfully proceeded to give the optically active chromans with high enantioselectivity.

The N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalysed oxidative carboxylation of arylaldehydes with water successfully proceeded when a sulfoxylalkyl-substituted imidazolium salt was used as the catalyst. The reactions can be run in the absence of oxidant, and a variety of arylaldehydes having an electron-withdrawing group were converted to the corresponding carboxylic acids.

The N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalysed oxidative carboxylation of arylaldehydes with water successfully proceeded when a sulfoxylalkyl-substituted imidazolium salt was used as the catalyst. The reactions can be run in the absence of oxidant, and a variety of arylaldehydes having an electron-withdrawing group were converted to the corresponding carboxylic acids.