Design and Application of Peptide‐Mimic Phosphonium Salt Catalysts in Asymmetric Synthesis

Abstract

Chiral phosphonium salt catalysis, traditionally classified as a type of phase transfer catalysis, has proven to be a powerful strategy for the stereoselective preparation of diverse optically active molecules. However, there still remain numerous forbidding issues of reactivity and selectivity in such well‐known organocatalysis system. Accordingly, the development of new and high‐performance phosphonium salt catalysts with unique chiral backbones is highly desirable, yet challenging. This Minireview describes the prominent endeavours in the development of a new family of chiral peptide‐mimic phosphonium salt catalysts with multiple hydrogen‐bonding donors and their applications in a plethora of enantioselective synthesis during the past few years. Hopefully, this minireview will pave a way for further developing much more efficient and privileged chiral ligands/catalysts featuring exclusively catalytic ability in asymmetric synthesis.