CHIMIA (Jun 2008)

Formation of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers by Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Conjugate Addition

  • Alexandre Alexakis,
  • Magali Vuagnoux-d'Augustin,
  • David Martin,
  • Stefan Kehrli,
  • Laetitia Palais,
  • Hélène Hénon,
  • Christine Hawner

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2008.461
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 62, no. 6

Abstract

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This mini-review deals with a special, and challenging, aspect of the asymmetric conjugate addition: the formation of all-carbon quaternary centers by reaction with Michael acceptors bearing a polysubstituted unsaturation. Only copper catalysts allow this transformation, along with a careful choice of primary organometallics and chiral ligand. The resulting adducts are useful intermediates for the synthesis of more complex natural products.

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