Photochemistry: Volume 50
Recent approaches in asymmetric non-covalent organo-photocatalysis
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Published:09 Dec 2022
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Special Collection: 2022 ebook collection
Leyre Marzo, José Alemán, 2022. "Recent approaches in asymmetric non-covalent organo-photocatalysis", Photochemistry: Volume 50, Stefano Crespi, Stefano Protti
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The field of asymmetric organocatalysis rose to prominence in organic synthesis during the 2000s, pushing the boundaries of catalytic methods by establishing itself as a valuable alternative to transition metal catalysis and biocatalysis.1–4 The use of small organic molecules as catalysts to promote chemical transformations presents tremendous upside, as these organocatalysts are typically robust, inexpensive and widely accessible. In fact, organocatalysis performs admirably under aerobic and wet conditions – H2O can even be beneficial for reactivity and stereoselectivity – and demanding reaction conditions such as inert atmosphere and dry solvents are not required. This behavior, coupled with the absence of metals in the catalytic structure, has placed organocatalysis as an attractive approach to build organic molecules in asymmetric fashion following operationally simple protocols. Indeed, asymmetric organo-catalysis has found remarkable application in natural product synthesis5 and medicinal chemistry.6 Organocatalytic processes can be governed by covalent or non-covalent interactions between the catalyst and the substrate (Fig. 1). Furthermore, these methodologies can also be broadly categorized by the role of the organocatalyst in any given reaction: Hydrogen Bonding, Lewis acid and base, and ion pair.7,8