Chiral Bronsted Acids for Asymmetric Organocatalysis

Chiral Bronsted acid catalysis is an emerging area of organocatalysis. Since the pioneering studies of the groups of Akiyama and Terada in 2004 on the use of chiral BINOL phosphates as powerful Bronsted acid catalysts in asymmetric Mannich-type reactions, numerous catalytic asymmetric transformations involving imine activation have been realized by means of this catalyst class, including among others Friedel-Crafts, Pictet-Spengler, Strecker, cycloaddition reactions, transfer hydrogenations, and reductive aminations. More recently, chiral BINOL phosphates found application in multicomponent and cascade reactions as for example in an asymmetric version of the Biginelli reaction. With the introduction of chiral BINOL-derived N-triflyl phosphoramides in 2006, asymmetric Bronsted acid catalysis is no longer restricted to reactive substrates. Also certain carbonyl compounds can be activated through these stronger Bronsted acid catalysts. In dealing with sensitive substrate classes, chiral dicarboxylic acids proved of particular value.