Applications of Sodium Nitrite in Organic Synthesis

Sodium nitrite (NaNO 2 ) is a cheap inorganic reagent that has wide applications in synthetic organic chemistry. The Sandmeyer reaction for transforming amines into diazo derivatives and nitration, including the oxidative ones, are well known and globally used in several industrial processes too. Sodium nitrite is also used in the Nef reaction and Abidi transformation besides several other important reactions. The ability of NaNO 2 to produce NO · , NO 2 , and N 2 O 4 under oxidative conditions has considerably assisted in the discovery of its newer applications. Strikingly, this has resulted in remarkable development in reactions involving NaNO 2 as either catalyst or reagent, and this review is an attempt to assimilate them. Wherever possible the mechanistic details associated with the reported reaction/transformation is provided.