Chiral thioether ligands:: coordination chemistry and asymmetric catalysis

This review covers the recent applications of chiral thioether ligands in asymmetric catalysis with transition metal complexes. S,S-Homo and S,X-heterodonor ligands are considered with special emphasis to their coordination chemistry. The results obtained with metal/thioether containing catalytic systems in asymmetric allylic substitution, hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, hydrosilylation, Michael addition, 1,4-conjugate addition and copolymerization reactions are reviewed including mechanistic considerations. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.