Ugi type reactions are well known for decades. These multicomponent reactions involve an aldehyde,an amine, an isocyanide and an acid compound (carboxylic acid or activated phenol). Herein, electronicstructure of isocyanides, as key compounds of these reactions, was studied. Surprisingly, thecarbenic form RN=C was found to be the major one. Contribution of minor mesomeric structureexplains the linearity of the molecule. Then, Ugi and Ugi-Smiles couplings were studied theoreticallyand experimentally. Contrary to the Ugi-Smiles reaction, the final rearrangement of the Ugi coupling,a Mumm one, was not found to be a rate determining step. Importance of microsolvation was investigated.The comprehension of the mechanism of Ugi-Smiles reaction prompted us to investigatetheoretically new acidic partners. Trichlorophenols permitted to isolate the aryl-imidate for the firsttime with a phenol. Nitrosophenols were also considered. Confirmed experimentally, these new adductswere used to propose a new synthesis of benzimidazole. Finally, Ugi type adducts have been used todevelop a new palladium-catalyzed ring-opening of aminocyclopropanes. Rapid access to heterocycliccompounds, such as complex tetracycle with a tandem Heck coupling, can be obtained by this strategy.
