Recent Development of Regio‐ and Stereoselective Aminohalogenation Reaction of Alkenes

This microreview presents the development of the catalytic aminohalogenation of olefins. The olefin substrates include electron‐deficient and functionalized ones, such as α,β‐unsaturated esters, α,β‐unsaturated ketones and α,β‐unsaturated nitriles. In addition, the first asymmetric aminohalogenation by the use of Evans chiral auxiliaries is also discussed. The convincing evidence is provided to support the aziridinium mechanism of aminohalogenation reaction. The applications of this reaction are described by converting vicinal haloamines into other important synthetic building blocks. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)