Catalysts Based on Amino Acids for Asymmetric Reactions in Water

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Wet and wild: Water is a powerful force in nature, as evident in the painting “ES” by Zdzislaw Beksinski (1985, oil, 92 cm×90 cm; reproduced with permission from Piotr Dmochowski), as well as a promising medium for asymmetric reactions. As catalysts, natural amino acids are ideal candidates. This Minireview summarizes recent advances in asymmetric catalysis in water, with amino acids and their derivatives as effective catalysts or essential components. magnified image Asymmetric organometallic and organocatalytic processes in aqueous systems are currently of great interest. A few years ago, only a few practitioners studied the subject; now organic reactions in water have become one of the most exciting research areas. The quest to identify water‐compatible catalysts has evoked an intense search for new possibilities. Following nature's lead, the application of amino acids as sources of chiral information seems particularly promising for aqueous systems. Herein we provide an overview of very recent advances in the area of asymmetric catalysis in water with amino acids and their derivatives as effective catalysts or essential components of catalysts.