Lawsone as synthon in the catalytic asymmetric reactions

Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) is a red-orange dye present in the leaves of the henna plant (Lawsonia inermis), one of the most important synthon for many branches of chemistry and biology. In the past two decades, it is undeniable that the lawsone chemistry has gained a lot of interest among synthetic organic chemists. Lawsone was utilized to construct structurally complex pharmaceutically active chiral molecules under the organo- and organometallic-catalysis. This review summarizes the most recent advances in the asymmetric synthesis of high-yielding, optically active functionally rich molecules utilizing lawsone and lawsone derivatives as key building blocks. (C) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Lawsone, a red-orange dye found in henna leaves, is an important building block in the fields of chemistry and biology. In recent decades, the chemistry of lawsone has gained significant interest among synthetic organic chemists. This review summarizes the latest advances in the asymmetric synthesis of high-yielding, optically active molecules using lawsone and lawsone derivatives as key building blocks.