Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Chirality is widely present in natural products, pharmaceutical compounds, and functional molecules. N -heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis has emerged as a pivotal strategy for constructing stereocenters, leveraging its strong σ-donating capability and tunable steric and electronic environment. Although catalytic asymmetric synthesis of carbon stereocenters has achieved significant maturity, the construction of non-carbon stereocenters continues to face persistent challenges. Long-standing limitations, including configurational inversion induced by lone electron pairs, poor dynamic stability, and limited generality of catalytic systems, have substantially hindered progress in this domain. In recent years, NHC catalysis has garnered extensive attention for its significant advances in the construction of non-carbon chiral stereocenters, including silicon, sulfur, phosphorus, nitrogen, and boron atoms. This review systematically summarizes the latest progress and application potential of NHC catalysis in this field, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation and methodological guidance for future research.
Source: Discover Chemistry.
Authors: Xiaoqing Lai, Yao Chen, Hongzhi Zhuang, Huan Gong, Yongchang Hu, Xingkuan Chen
Institution: Jinan University
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Award: G2021282758
OpenAlex ID: W7140040294