Phosphine-mediated enantioselective synthesis of carbocycles and heterocycles

Nucleophilic chiral phosphine catalysis has been prosperous in asymmetric synthesis over the past two decades. Various tunable chiral phosphines display excellent activity and selectivity in asymmetric transformations including acycloaddition reactions and cycloaddition reactions. Enantiomerically enriched cyclic compounds are ubiquitous in natural products and drug molecules. These phosphinecatalyzed reactions provide effective and extensive strategies for the synthesis of a series of complex cyclic compounds as well as the synthesis of chiral compounds which could be easily transformed to carbocycles and heterocycles. This minireview summarizes recent developments in this area and highlights meaningful breakthroughs.