Organic superbases are a distinct and increasingly utilized class of Brønsted base that possess properties complementary to common inorganic bases. This Concept article discusses recent applications of commercial organic superbases in modern synthetic methodologies. Examples of the advantages of organic superbases in three areas are highlighted, including the discovery of new base-catalyzed reactions, the optimization of reactions that require stoichiometric Brønsted base, and in high-throughput experimentation technology.
Keywords: amidines; anions; guanidines; organocatalysis; phosphazenes.
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