Abstract:
More than 250 asymmetric catalytic reactions with enantioselectivity approaching 100% are considered. The dependences of the enantiomeric excess of the product on the symmetries of the initial catalytic complex and the key intermediate that provides the asymmetric induction and on the number of coordinating functional groups in the substrate molecule are analyzed. Based on the catalytic cycles of asymmetric reactions proposed in the literature, two possible mechanisms of asymmetric induction are discussed, consecutive (stepwise) and cooperative (one-step) mechanisms. The bibliography includes 283 references.