Recent advances in multicomponent reactions for diversity-oriented synthesis.

Interest in multicomponent reactions (MCRs) has surged during the past two decades as interest in the efficient synthesis of small molecule libraries has gained prominence. MCRs fill an important niche in library synthesis by providing direct access to library compounds and by serving as starting points for Diversity-Oriented Synthesis (DOS). Recent advances in the area of MCR chemistry have included the discovery of new reactions, development of the first asymmetric catalysts, and the application of MCRs to natural products and other targets of biological interest. This review will highlight recent developments in MCRs as a rich source of molecular diversity. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.