Chapter 3: Magnesium- and Calcium-based Catalysts

Catalysis is a key technology to achieve the objectives of sustainable chemistry, but an innovative effort is necessary in the design of new catalysts and catalytic technologies. In this chapter, recent progress in the design and application of magnesium- and calcium-based chiral catalysts is reviewed. As a result of their abundance, specific chemical characteristics and relatively safe biological properties, great efforts have been devoted to the development of magnesium and calcium based catalysis. Thus, several types of magnesium- and calcium-based catalysts have been designed and utilised in a series of asymmetric transformations and shown high catalytic efficiency. In addition, on the basis of the absolute configuration, the transition states of these catalysts have been proposed in various reactions, which may be helpful for the further understanding and development of these catalysts.