Asymmetric Cu(ii) catalyses for cycloaddition reactions based on π–cation or n–cation interactions

Abstract

The rational design of small but highly functional artificial catalysts is very important for practical organic synthesis. Asymmetric Lewis acid catalyses with non-covalent secondary interactions have been developed for enantioselective reactions. This tutorial review describes the concept, design and examples of asymmetric Cu(II) catalyses for cycloaddition reactions based on intramolecular π–cation or n–cation interactions between the copper(II) cation and auxiliary Lewis basic sites of the chiral ligands.