Transition-metal-catalyzed enantioselective C–N cross-coupling

Abstract

Chiral amine scaffolds are among the most important building blocks in natural products, drug molecules, and functional materials, which have prompted chemists to focus more on their synthesis. Among the accomplishments in chiral amine synthesis, transition-metal-catalyzed enantioselective C–N cross-coupling is considered one of the most efficient protocols. This approach combines traditional C(sp²)–N cross-coupling methods (such as the Buchwald–Hartwig reaction Ullmann-type reaction, and Chan–Evans–Lam reaction), aryliodonium salt chemistry and radical chemistry, providing an attractive pathway to a wide range of structurally diverse chiral amines with high enantioselectivity. This review summarizes the established protocols and offers a comprehensive outlook on the promising enantioselective C–N cross-coupling reaction.