Peptide-catalysed alcohol esterification

In this chapter, remarkable advances in the research devoted to peptide catalysed alcohol esterifications, 1,4-conjugate additions, aldol reactions, Strecker synthesis, asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis and alkene epoxida-tion are discussed. 

Since the introduction of the first peptide organocatalyst in the 1980s, a considerable number of new peptide frameworks have been developed that are able to effectively catalyse several important transformations including alcohol esterifications, 1,4-conjugate additions, aldol reactions, Strecker synthesis, asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis and alkene epoxidation are discussed. A few successful examples of solid-supported peptides and reactions in ball milling under solvent-free conditions have been demonstrated. These methods combine the advantages of being economically and environmentally friendly processes. 

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