Organocatalytic Atroposelective Reactions of Alkynes

The atroposelective transformation of alkynes is an efficient protocol for the assembly of axially chiral compounds. Benefit from the rapid development of chiral organocatalysts, the organocatalytic atroposelective reactions of alkynes have been extensively studied during the past decades. An array of chiral catalysts, including chiral Brønsted acid catalysts, secondary amine catalysts, N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysts, thiourea catalysts and N-squaramide catalysts, were employed into the enantioselective reactions of different alkynes. This review summarizes the recent advances in organocatalytic atroposelective reactions of alkynes according to the types of alkyne substrates. The reaction mechanisms, mode of enantiocontrol, product diversity and applications are highlighted in this review.