Recent Trends in Upgrading of CO₂ as a C1 Reactant in <i>N‐</i> and <i>C‐</i>Methylation Reactions

Abstract

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture and conversion from renewable resources have recently emerged as a viable alternative to the synthesis of core chemicals. Despite the fact that CO 2 fixation is limited due to its thermodynamic stability and kinetic inertness, researchers are becoming increasingly interested in developing novel routes with the use of CO 2 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 CO 2 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 CO 2 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 CO 2 as an advantageous single‐carbon source.