Solid-supported chiral organocatalysts: Methods, platforms, and applications in asymmetric synthesis

Over the past two decades, asymmetric organocatalysis has emerged as a prominent field in synthetic organic chemistry, providing access to a diverse range of valuable chiral compounds through the use of small chiral organic molecules as catalysts. In homogeneous systems, organocatalysts showed remarkable selectivity and efficiency in numerous asymmetric reactions. However, the limitations of homogeneous organocatalysis, such as high catalyst loading, challenging recovery, and potential catalyst degradation, have led to the development of heterogeneous alternatives. Immobilized organocatalysts, which are covalently anchored onto solid supports, address these issues by improving certain catalyst properties, such as stability and reusability. The spatial arrangement of the catalyst on the solid supports can be tailored in order to enhance reactivity and enantioselectivity. This review highlights the significant advancements in immobilized organocatalysts applied to enantioselective synthesis over the past decade, discussing advances in silica-, polymer-, and magnetic nanoparticle-supported organocatalysts, with an emphasis on catalytic performance and reusability. Lastly, some perspectives on the area of supported organocatalysts are provided.