Enantioselective Desymmetrization by Chiral Bifunctional H-Bonding Organocatalysts

Enantioselective desymmetrization has emerged as an effective method for generating highly enriched chiral molecules from achiral compounds. In recent years, organocatalysis has played an increasingly prominent role in this field, offering metal-free and environmentally benign alternatives to traditional asymmetric catalysis. This review focuses on organocatalytic approaches in desymmetrization reactions that utilize bifunctional hydrogen activation of the substrate by a chiral organocatalyst. The most common types of chiral bifunctional organocatalysts include cinchona alkaloids and their derivatives, such as thioureas, sulfonamides, and squaramides. The following text provides an overview of the enantioselective desymmetrization methods that have been described to date for meso-anhydrides, meso-diols, amines, small heterocyclic rings, and various carbonyl compound derivatives.