EPC Syntheses with C, C Bond Formation via Acetals and Enamines

The synthesis of enantiomeri caily pure compounds (EPC) is becoming increasingly important for research, development, and for production chemists in industry. This is due to the fact that all biological systems interact differently with chiral molecules and their mirror images. Thus, for all applications of chemicals in fragrants, cosmetics, nutrients, agricultural pesticides, vitamins, and pharmaceutical drugs it is essential to have access to either enantiomer. Not only in applied chemistry are more and more scientists attracted by EPC syntheses, but also in academia, because there is hardly any better way of studying the subtle interactions between molecules, and hopefully understanding them in the end, than by investigating stereoselective reactions. Accordingly, special emphasis was put on this topic in our international seminars: Six years ago, in the second Interlaken workshop (MODERN SYNTHETIC METHODS 1980), electroorganic synthesis was followed by a series of lectures on EPC syntheses from the pool of chiral building blocks. This year sound and light in synthesis is followed by accounts on EPC syntheses with C,C-bond formation. The proliferation of publications in this general field is evident from the fact that Morrison and Mosher’s classical textbook “Asymmetric Organic Reactions” first published in 1971 covered essentially all examples known at that time (465 pages)1, while a new attempt by Morrison required dozens of authors; the result were five volumes (1865 pages)2 of “Asymmetric Synthesis” in 1985.