Asymmetric catalysis
has been recognized as the most enabling strategy
for accessing chiral molecules in enantioenriched forms. Catalytic
asymmetric dearomatization is an emerging and dynamic research subject
in asymmetric catalysis, which has received considerable attention
in recent years. The direct transformations from readily available
aromatic feedstocks to structurally diverse three-dimensional polycyclic
molecules make catalytic asymmetric dearomatization reactions of broad
interest for both organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. However,
the inherent difficulty for the disruption of aromaticity demands
a large energy input during the dearomatization process, which might
be incompatible with the conditions generally required by asymmetric
catalysis. In this Outlook, we will discuss representative strategies
and examples of catalytic asymmetric dearomatization reactions of
various aromatic compounds and try to convince readers that by overcoming
the above obstacles, catalytic asymmetric dearomatization reactions
could advance chemical sciences in many respects.