MELDOLA LECTURE. Recent Developments in Asymmetric Synthesis

摘要

The importance of enantiomerically pure molecules is now well accepted. These may be prepared by three broad methods, viz., by asymmetric synthesis (which may be subdivided into stoi-cheiometric or catalytic methods), by starting from enantiomerically pure reagents (the 'chiral pool'), or by resolution. Each of these complementary approaches is of great importance in contemporary organic chemistry and each benefits from its own strengths and weaknesses. In our research group we have employed all of these methods for the synthesis of chiral molecules, although some form a greater part of our research than others. Our results will be discussed in the following sections.