Axially chirality Chemistry

Axially chiral compounds in which the chirality originates from highly sterically hindered rotation along a chiral axis rather than a stereogenic center with four different substituents have received much attention from chemists because of their widespread appearance in biologically active compounds and useful chiral ligands in asymmetric catalysis. Among the well-known axially chiral structures, most of the chiral axis is between two aromatic moieties as named biaryl atropisomers. Owing to the importance of this structural motif, we have intensively investigated the catalytic atroposelective construction of axially chiral biaryls, including the following strategies: enantioselective oxidative/cross coupling of two aryl counterparts, asymmetric construction of an aromatic ring and kinetic resolution/desymmetrization of biaryl compounds and so on. Besides, novel skeletons with stable axial chirality other than biaryl compounds also belong to our research interests, which could be applied to the new ligand as well as bioactive molecules development.

Catalytic Asymmetric Multicomponent Reactions 

Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) represent a powerful chemical tool to meet this challenge for the preparation of complex molecules due to the atom- and step-economy and high efficiency. The axially chiral compounds have been extensively evaluated as versatile chiral ligands/catalysts in asymmetric transformations and existing in many natural products. Asymmetric organocatalysis has been proved to be a very powerful and efficient strategy to be involved in MCRs and construction of axially chiral compounds. Based on our great interest and comprehension on organocatalysis, we have recently developed many transformations in MCRs and synthesis of axially chiral compounds. In addition, radical reaction is one of the most efficient methods for the synthesis of organic compounds. We have also developed many reactions involving radical process.