Recent advances in the use of chiral metal complexes with achiral ligands for application in asymmetric catalysis

Abstract

This perspective describes recent progress in asymmetric catalysis with chiral only-at-metal complexes displaying Λ/Δ enantiomorphs in the absence of central chirality within the ligands, with an emphasis on Ir(III) and Rh(III) systems. The good selectivity achieved when using these complexes in asymmetric catalysis has been demonstrated in asymmetric transformations through various mechanisms, including hydrogen-bond donor–acceptor, secondary amine or Brønsted base hydrogen-bond donor bifunctional catalysis, Lewis acid and photoredox catalysis under mild reaction conditions. This perspective highlights the widening field of chiral-at-metal catalysis and presents a selection of asymmetric transformations which have been successfully carried out using them.