Organocatalytic Synthesis of Drugs and Bioactive Natural Products

The scope and limitations of organocatalytic reactions in the synthesis of biologically important molecules are discussed in this microreview.

Abstract

Abstract Catalytic reactions are a key element in the design of sustainable chemical processes. As witnessed in the field of transition metal‐catalysed processes, only those reactions that are reliable over a broad substrate range and tolerant toward a multitude of functional groups have found their way into the repertoire of preparative chemists. Natural product synthesis provides a good benchmark for the maturity of a new synthetic method and in this microreview we discuss the scope and limitations of organocatalytic reactions in the synthesis of biologically important molecules. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)