Catalytic enantioselective [4 + 2]-cycloaddition: a strategy to access aza-hexacycles

The aza-Diels Alder reaction has become one of the most widely used synthetic tools for the preparation of N-containing 6-membered heterocycles. Numerous important developments have been reported to render this reaction catalytic and enantioselective. This tutorial review highlights strategies and recent advances to achieve high efficiency and selectivity through the use of organocatalysts and transition metal complexes, allowing also the extension of this transformation substrate scope.