Recent Advances in the Reaction of MBH Alcohols and Acetates: Scope and Mechanism (2016–2026)

ABSTRACT

The Morita‐Baylis‐Hillman (MBH) reaction represents one of the economical and straightforward C─C bond‐forming transformations in modern organic synthesis, yielding versatile polyfunctionalized products bearing electron‐deficient alkenes with a hydroxy group at the allylic position. These products serve as valuable substrates for the development of new synthetic procedures for the synthesis of numerous natural products and biologically significant molecules. This review presents a comprehensive overview of transformations involving MBH alcohols and acetates reported during the past decade (2016–2026), covering both uncyclized and cyclized reactions, including C─C and C–heteroatom bond‐forming processes. Recent developments in photocatalytic and metal‐catalyzed transformations are also highlighted. Through a critical assessment of these advances, this review provides an up‐to‐date perspective on the expanding synthetic potential of MBH alcohols and acetates.