Recent Trends in Upgrading of CO2 As a C1 Reactant in N‐ and C‐Methylation Reactions

AbstractCarbon dioxide (CO2) capture and conversion from renewable resources have recently emerged as a viable alternative to the synthesis of core chemicals. Despite the fact that CO2 fixation is limited due to its thermodynamic stability and kinetic inertness, researchers are becoming increasingly interested in developing novel routes with the use of CO2 in synthetic organic chemistry, and the pace of advancements in this field is accelerating. In particular, the development of benign N‐ and C‐methylation reactions employing CO2 as a C1 synthon instead of conventional methylation reagents would enable the release of lower amounts of waste leading to more sustainable chemical industry. This review presents recent new strategies for the chemical transformation of CO2 and its incorporation into N‐ or C‐based nucleophiles to provide access to the respective methylamines and methylated (hetero)arenes. Finally, existing limitations in N−H, and C−H bond activation techniques and future prospects are also discussed. We believe these methodologies will provide a handy reference to the chemists for synthesizing a vast range of methylated molecules in shorter steps by utilizing CO2 as an advantageous single‐carbon source.