Bifunctional organocatalysis activation

Another important class of covalent catalysis is carried ont by chiral iV-heterocyclic carbenes [15] that react with carbonyl componnds forming chiral acyl anion eqniva-lents whose reaction with the corresponding electrophile complete the catalytic cycle (F, Fig. 2.2). Finally, it is worthy to mention the ability of certain bifnnctional organo-catalysts to perform simultaneous activation of the nncleophile and the electrophile. The nse of bifunctional organocatalysis has been shown to be very snccessfnl in conjngate additions. 

Although boron is a metalloid, one can nonetheless include boron-derived compounds in a book on organocatalysis as not being transition metal containing catalysts Planar chiral boronic acids have been employed as amide couphng catalysts, actually as bifunctional Lewis acid/base activators. Whiting s [51] group reported the preparation [52] of two amino-boronic ferrocenes (see Scheme 8.17). Their use... 

Organocatalysis Continuing efforts to harness the cooperative activity of bifunctional organocatalysts have led to the examinations of chiral calix[4]arenes containing amino phenol stractures and chiral per-6-amino-P-cyclodextrin in the asymmetric sulfa-Michael reactions to cyclic and acylic enones.The preliminary results indicated that further structural modification would be required to allow more efficient asymmetric catalyst systems. 

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