Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Retropinacol/Cross-pinacol Coupling Reactions - A Catalytic Access to 1,2-Unsymmetrical Diols
Published on: April 4, 2014
Catalytic asymmetric tandem transformations triggered by conjugate additions
1Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim/Ruhr, Germany.
Catalytic asymmetric tandem transformations efficiently create complex molecules with multiple stereocenters. This review covers recent advances in metal- and organocatalyzed conjugate addition reactions for enantiopure compound synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Catalysis
- Synthetic Chemistry
Background:
- Synthesizing complex molecules with multiple stereocenters is a significant challenge.
- Catalytic asymmetric tandem transformations offer a route to rapidly increase molecular complexity.
- Enantiopure compounds are crucial in academic research and industrial applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight recent developments in asymmetric tandem transformations.
- To review applications of metal-catalyzed and organocatalytic asymmetric tandem reactions.
- To focus on transformations triggered by conjugate additions.
Main Methods:
- Metal-catalyzed asymmetric tandem reactions.
- Organocatalytic asymmetric tandem reactions.
- Conjugate addition reactions.
Main Results:
- Recent advancements in catalytic asymmetric tandem transformations have been reviewed.
- Applications of these transformations in synthesizing complex molecules are discussed.
- The role of conjugate addition in triggering these tandem reactions is emphasized.
Conclusions:
- Asymmetric tandem transformations are powerful tools for constructing enantiopure compounds.
- Metal and organocatalysis provide versatile strategies for these transformations.
- Continued development in this area promises efficient access to complex molecular architectures.
Related Concept Videos
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Conjugate Addition to α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
Cycloaddition Reactions: Overview
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction
Conjugate Addition (1,4-Addition) vs Direct Addition (1,2-Addition)
Conjugate addition results in a thermodynamically stable product. The reaction retains the stronger C=O bond at the expense of the weaker C=C π bond. The process is slow as the β carbon is less electrophilic than the carbonyl carbon.
Direct addition products are formed faster owing to...
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Thermal Activation

