“The article tried to summarize the main aspects of the organic transformations mediated by samarium diiodide, by considering some selected examples.”

This paper is a review article, and it is cited because the chemistry induced by samarium diiodide became popular and is presently used to solve various synthetic problems.

We introduced samarium diiodide in the organic field in 1977 (J. L. Namy, P. Girard, H. B. Kagan, Nouv. J. Chim., I, 5, 1977.). We set up a simple preparation of this compound and discovered some useful chemistry such the samarium equivalent of a Barbier reaction. In 1980-81 we disclosed more details on the interest of samarium diiodide (P. Girard, J. L. Namy, H. B. Kagan, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 102, 2693, 1980; H. B. Kagan, J. L. Namy, P. Girard, Tetrahedron, 37, suppl. No.1, 175, 1981; J. L. Namy, P. Girard, H. B. Kagan, P. E. Caro, Nouv. J. Chim., 8, 479, 1981).

The article tried to summarize the main aspects of the organic transformations mediated by samarium diiodide, by considering some selected examples. Since 1984 numerous other research groups have focused their investigations on this area.

In the first part of the paper I summarized the early chronological developments of the diiodosamarium chemistry. Then I selected some important classes of reactions (ene-carbonyl couplings, cyclizations, etc.) and some applications in total synthesis of natural products or in asymmetric synthesis.

In 1977 we set up a simple preparation of samarium diiodide and introduced this compound in the organic chemistry field. At that time we were exploring the potential for organic chemists of various lanthanide derivatives. In 1980-81 we disclosed more details on the usefulness of samarium diiodide. Since 1984 other researchers have also increased their concentration in this same area.