Enantioselective electrochemical and photochemical synthesis of atropisomers

Abstract

The enantioselective synthesis of atropisomers through organic electrochemistry or photochemistry is a valuable and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional organic synthesis, which has applications in oxidation, reduction, and redox-neutral transformations. These enantioselective reactions have demonstrated considerable potential for rapidly constructing chiral compounds with molecular diversity and complexity. During the past few years, the enantioselective construction of atropisomers via electrochemical and photochemical reactions has reached an impressive level of sophistication and efficiency and has emerged as a powerful tool in synthesis. Our review aims to highlight the enantioselective synthesis of atropisomers through electrochemical and photochemical methods, utilizing transition-metal catalysis and organocatalysis, alongside pinpointing the limitations of existing techniques and potential future development directions.