Squaramide catalyzed alpha-chiral amine synthesis

Enantiomerically pure alpha-chiral amines, have been commonly utilized as resolving agents and chiral auxiliaries and are currently found in 40% of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Hence, development of highly stereoselective metal-free protocols regarding atom-economy and large-scale applications becomes a major issue. In this respect, chiral bifunctional H-bonding squaramides have been successfully applied for both amine synthesis and functionalization of amines in the last decade. This survey summarizes asymmetric synthesis of chiral amines by various carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen bond formation with squaramide catalysis as a particular focus of interest. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd.