Synthesis and Applications of Carbohydrate-Based Organocatalysts
Elżbieta Wojaczyńska,
Franz Steppeler,
Dominika Iwan,
Marie-Christine Scherrmann,
Alberto Marra
Affiliations
Elżbieta Wojaczyńska
Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50 370 Wrocław, Poland
Franz Steppeler
Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50 370 Wrocław, Poland
Dominika Iwan
Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50 370 Wrocław, Poland
Marie-Christine Scherrmann
Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay (ICMMO), Université Paris-Saclay, Bâtiment 420, 91405 Orsay, France
Alberto Marra
Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM-UMR 5247), Université de Montpellier, Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
Organocatalysis is a very useful tool for the asymmetric synthesis of biologically or pharmacologically active compounds because it avoids the use of noxious metals, which are difficult to eliminate from the target products. Moreover, in many cases, the organocatalysed reactions can be performed in benign solvents and do not require anhydrous conditions. It is well-known that most of the above-mentioned reactions are promoted by a simple aminoacid, l-proline, or, to a lesser extent, by the more complex cinchona alkaloids. However, during the past three decades, other enantiopure natural compounds, the carbohydrates, have been employed as organocatalysts. In the present exhaustive review, the detailed preparation of all the sugar-based organocatalysts as well as their catalytic properties are described.
