Privileged Chiral Catalysts

One of the most active current areas of chemical research is centered on how to synthesize handed (chiral) compounds in a selective manner, rather than as mixtures of mirror-image forms (enantiomers) with different three-dimensional structures (stereochemistries). Nature points the way in this endea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2003-03, Vol.299 (5613), p.1691-1693
Main Authors: Yoon, Tehshik P., Jacobsen, Eric N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alkenes
Biocatalysts
Catalysis
Catalysts
Chemical properties
Chemistry
Cinchona alkaloids
Enzymes
Epoxy compounds
Imines
Ligands
Molecules
Nucleophiles
Viewpoints
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Summary:One of the most active current areas of chemical research is centered on how to synthesize handed (chiral) compounds in a selective manner, rather than as mixtures of mirror-image forms (enantiomers) with different three-dimensional structures (stereochemistries). Nature points the way in this endeavor: different enantiomers of a given biomolecule can exhibit dramatically different biological activities, and enzymes have therefore evolved to catalyze reactions with exquisite selectivity for the formation of one enantiomeric form over the other. Drawing inspiration from these natural catalysts, chemists have developed a variety of synthetic small-molecule catalysts that can achieve levels of selectivity approaching, and in some cases matching, those observed in enzymatic reactions.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1083622