Abstract
The introduction and development of neutral macrocyclic hosts capable of complexing
ions within their pre-organized cavity, has been of utmost importance in supramolecular
chemistry. Their ability to form stable organic-soluble metal–macrocycle complexes
opened up the way to their application in phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) as a viable
alternative to quaternary onium salts. In particular, their conformationally rigid
preorganized backbone, accommodating organic substrates in defined orientations, promotes
highly efficient stereoselective reactions. This short review summarizes the applications
of neutral macrocyclic hosts in stereoselective PTC, highlighting the difference and
possible complementarity with quaternary ammonium salts.
1 Introduction
2 Crown Ethers and Related Coronands
2.1 Enantioselective PTC with Chiral Macrocyclic Coronands
2.2 Enantioselective PTC Reactions Catalyzed by Chiral Quaternary Ammonium Salts
with Achiral Crown Ether Co-catalysts
3 Cyclic Peptoids
4 Miscellaneous Chiral Macrocyclic Hosts
5 Summary and Outlook
Key words asymmetric catalysis - crown compounds - host-guest systems - macrocycles - phase-transfer
catalysis - calixarenes - cyclic peptoids