Enantioselective organocatalysis

Abstract

Enantioselective organocatalysis has emerged as a powerful synthetic paradigm that is complementary to metal-catalysed transformations and has accelerated the development of new methods to make diverse chiral molecules. The operational simplicity, ready availability of catalysts and low toxicity associated with organocatalysis makes it an attractive method to synthesise complex structures. Here, we discuss the impact of enamine, iminium, nucleophilic and Brønsted acid catalysts in organic synthesis, and highlight key strategic methods to assemble useful molecules with high enantiomeric purity. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.