Journey Heading towards Enantioselective Synthesis Assisted by Organocatalysis

Abstract

This personal account summarizes the design of various organocatalysts derived from amino acids and Cinchona alkaloids and their applications in enantioselective carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen bond formation reactions. This account begins with the short description of the background of asymmetric organocatalysis. Various types of reactions like aldol reaction, Michael reaction, aza-Henry reaction, Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction are described in this account.

Keywords: Cinchona alkaloid; enantioselective; isatin; organocatalysis; oxindole.