High‐valent bismuth redox catalysis

In the last years, bismuth has transitioned from being considered a mere Lewis acid catalyst to being recognised as an interesting redox catalyst for organic synthesis. A rational design of a ligand scaffold for the Bi center resulted in a robust catalytic system applicable to various bismuth redox processes. Bismuth is the last non-radioactive element of the periodic table.1) In addition to its great availability and economical cost, certain Bi compounds have been reported to be non-toxic and non-carcinogenic.2) The presence of Bi in pharmacologically active ingredients such as the antiseptic agent bibrocathol or the antacid medication bismu...