Enantioselective α-heterofunctionalisation of carbonyl compounds:: organocatalysis is the simplest approach

Enantioselective organocatalytic processes have reached maturity in recent years with an impressive number of applications now available. The application of these advantageous methodologies to the construction of chiral alpha-hetereofunctionalised carbonyl compounds allows us to obtain important chiral building blocks, such as a-amino acids, alpha-amino alcohols, aziridines, epoxides, 1,2-diols and alpha-sulfenylated, selenenylated and halogenated carbonyl derivatives. Proline, imidazolidinone derivatives, cinchona alkaloids and their ammonium salts, as well as Bronsted acid derivatives, have been used as chiral catalysts for these purposes. A survey of contributions in this field will be discussed throughout this review. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.