Recent advances in asymmetric organocatalysis based on helical polymers

Abstract

Helical polymers have attracted increasing attention in recent years because of their extensive applications in many fields including chiral recognition and separation, asymmetric catalysis, circularly polarized luminescence, liquid crystallization and so on. Helical polymer catalysts have emerged and been used as important tools inspired by nature for asymmetric organocatalysis in the past few decades. This mini review mainly focuses on the recent advances in asymmetric organocatalysis based on helical polymers. The categories of helical polymers classified according to the different inversion barriers are discussed briefly at first. Then, the recent progress in asymmetric organocatalysis based on helical polymers, especially polyacetylenes and polyisocyanides, is discussed. We hope that this mini review will not only stimulate more interest in the development of helical polymers, but also encourage further development of chiral related disciplines.