General aspects of organocatalytic cyclizations

Cobb, A. (2011) General aspects of organocatalytic cyclizations. In: Mahrwald, R. (ed.) Enantioselective Organocatalyzed Reactions II: Asymmetric C-C Bond Formation Processes. Springer, pp. 1-40. ISBN 9789048138661

Abstract/Summary

Ring-forming reactions are an essential part of synthetic chemistry and allow access to a range of useful natural products and biologically important molecules. The applications of organocatalysis to the synthesis of functionalized, enantiopure structures really begins where organocatalysis itself begins; with the Hajos-Parrish reaction in the 1970s for the synthesis of steroids using proline. This chapter then will review the uses of organocatalysts in cyclization methodology – from the initial Hajos-Parrish discovery to current advances in the field.