Chiral Lewis acid catalysts in Diels-Alder cycloadditions: Mechanistic aspects and synthetic applications of recent systems

This review summarizes the recent progress which has been made in the use of chiral Lewis Acid catalysts in Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions. Chiral catalysts containing aluminum, boron, titanium, copper, lanthanides, magnesium and transition-metals are critically reviewed. Structural studies on Lewis acid carbonyl complexes and synthetic applications of recent systems are specifically discussed.