Thiourea-catalysed ring opening of episulfonium ions with indole derivatives by means of stabilizing non-covalent interactions.

ABSTRACT: Small organic and metal-containing molecules (molecular mass <1,000) can catalyse synthetically useful reactions with the high levels of stereoselectivity typically associated with macromolecular enzymatic catalysts. Whereas enzymes are generally understood to accelerate reactions and impart selectivity as they stabilize specific transition structures through networks of cooperative interactions, enantioselectivity with chiral, small-molecule catalysts is rationalized typically by the steric destabilization of all but one dominant pathway. However, it is increasingly apparent that stabilizing effects also play an important role in small-molecule catalysis, although the mechanistic characterization of such systems is rare. Here, we show that arylpyrrolidino amido thiourea catalysts catalyse

SUBMITTER: Lin S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3457659 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature