All You Need to Know About Asymmetric Phase Transfer Catalysis (PTC)

Phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) offers some advantages for scale-up, using cheap bases such as sodium hydroxide and the ability to re-use the catalyst, along with ease of product separation in most cases. Asymmetric PTC has been examined for the last 20 years or so, and catalysts are available from Sigma-Aldrich for procedures developed by the major academic groups in this field (Corey, Lygo, O’Donnell, Maruoka).
The groups of Maruoka and Ooi at Kyoto and Nagoya have recently published two reviews, which describe in great detail, much of it of practical value to the process chemist, the scope of asymmetric PTC procedures. (Ooi T and Maruoka K, Angew Chem Int Ed, 2007, 46, 422-4266; Aldrichimica Acta, 2007, 40(3), 77-86). These reviews will tell you all you need to know about these useful reactions.

Trevor Laird