Recent advances in dearomatization of heteroaromatic compounds.

Dearomatization reactions provide the most efficient method for the synthesis of spiro- or fused-ring systems from readily available compounds. This review summarizes the recent developments in dearomatization reactions of indoles, pyridines, quinolines, isoquinolines, and some other heteroaromatic compounds. The applications of these methods in total synthesis of natural products are also briefly introduced.