Recent advances in multicatalyst promoted asymmetric tandem reactions

Abstract

Multicatalyst promoted asymmetric tandem reactions have emerged as a powerful strategy to improve the synthetic efficiency. It enables the synthesis of complex molecules with high selectivity from simple starting materials in an almost biomimetic-like way. The use of multiple catalyst systems can enlarge the substrate and reaction scope for the reaction design, improve the reactivity, and benefit the control of selectivity. In this Focus Review, the current achievement of this promising field is discussed, including the advantages and difficulties of this research, and the strategies applied to address these problems. © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH&Co. KGaA.