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Modulating the acidity: highly acidic Brønsted acids in asymmetric catalysis
Magnus Rueping1, Boris J Nachtsheim, Winai Ieawsuwan
1Institut für Organische Chemie, RWTH Aachen, Landoltweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany. magnus.rueping@rwth-aachen.de
Abstract:
Recently, chiral highly acidic Brønsted acids have emerged as powerful catalysts for enantioselective C-C and C-X bond-forming reactions. Their strong acidity renders them valuable tools for the activation of imines, carbonyl compounds, and other weakly basic substrates. As a result, new perspectives are opened and highly stereoselective transformations based on the concept of chiral contact-ion-pair catalysis can be realized. This Minireview gives an overview of the design and application of these new organocatalysts and presents recent results in this rapidly growing field.
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