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Updated: May 5, 2026

Enzymatic Cascade Reactions for the Synthesis of Chiral Amino Alcohols from L-lysine
Published on: February 16, 2018
Asymmetric hydroamination
Alexander L Reznichenko1, Agnieszka J Nawara-Hultzsch, Kai C Hultzsch
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8087, USA.
Abstract:
The direct addition of amine N-H bonds across an unsaturated carbon-carbon linkage gives fast and highly atom-economical access to amines. This review provides an overview of the most effective stereoselective methods using various catalyst systems based on alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metals, as well as enzymatic and organocatalytic approaches. Except for a few sporadic examples in the last century, this field has evolved primarily over the last decade. Catalyst systems have reached enantioselectivities exceeding 90% ee for many substrate classes, but significant challenges remain, in particular in the stereoselective intermolecular hydroamination of unactivated alkenes.
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