Recent Advances in Asymmetric Enamine Catalysis

The use of chiral amines as catalysts for enantioselective synthetic transformations has received tremendous attention from the chemistry community over the last decade. Although stoichiometric enamines have been used as enolate equivalents for about 60 years, the field of catalytic enamine reactions continues to expand. This mode of catalysis is particularly powerful, as it enables the construction of strategic C-C and C-X bonds with high levels of asymmetric induction in a variety of systems. Proline and proline-derivatives have played a central role as convenient and efficient catalyst scaffolds in this area. This mini-review will give an overview over the major advances in asymmetric enamine catalysis since, and including, 2008 with focus on strategic transformations and catalyst development.