Current Progress in the Acetate/Methyl Ketone Aldol Reaction

The aldol reaction of acetate and methyl ketone-based donors with aldehyde acceptors is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on major advances reported in the last 10-15 years. Several methods for inducing chirality at the newly formed stereogenic center are discussed, including popular alternate methods for equivalent syntheses. Different methods for stereospecific synthesis are compared in terms of yield, selectivity, ease of synthesis, and applicability to both small molecule and large macrolide production.