Advances in Catalytic Asymmetric Construction of Quaternary Stereogenic Centers by Conjugate Addition to β,β‐Disubstituted Nitroalkenes

Abstract

AbstractQuaternary stereogenic centers are of great importance because of their prevalence in a series of bioactive natural products and pharmaceuticals. Although the catalytic asymmetric construction of these highly congested centers poses a formidable challenge, this field has been extensively explored in the past few decades, and several elegant strategies, such as the asymmetric conjugate addition to β,β‐disubstituted nitroalkenes, have been developed. The resultant β‐nitro quaternary stereocenters can be conveniently transformed into the corresponding β‐amino quaternary stereocenters commonly found in bioactive compounds. This review summarizes the recent advances in the construction of all‐carbon quaternary or hetero‐carbon quaternary stereocenters via metal‐catalyzed and organocatalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition to β,β‐disubstituted nitroalkenes, focusing on the scope, applications, and mechanisms of these reactions.