Abstract
Symmetric organic compounds are generally obtained inexpensively, and therefore they can be attractive building blocks for the total synthesis of various pharmaceuticals and natural products. The drawback is that discriminating the identical functional groups in the symmetric compounds is difficult. Water is the most environmentally benign and inexpensive solvent. However, successful organic reactions in water are rather limited due to the hydrophobicity of organic compounds in general. Therefore, desymmetrization reactions in aqueous media are expected to offer versatile strategies for the synthesis of a variety of significant organic compounds. This review focuses on the recent progress of desymmetrization reactions of symmetric organic compounds in aqueous media without utilizing enzymes.
Highlights
Desymmetrization reactions starting from symmetric compounds are among the most cost-effective conversions in synthetic organic chemistry that are advantageous for the total synthesis of complex natural products or pharmaceuticals, because the starting materials, symmetric compounds, are typically prepared at a large scale from inexpensive sources, or are commercially available at low cost
Water is one of the most environmentally friendly and inexpensive solvents, and water-mediated organic reactions are typically regarded as a “green chemistry.”
Discriminating the identical functional groups existing in symmetric compounds is considered arduous
Summary
Desymmetrization reactions starting from symmetric compounds are among the most cost-effective conversions in synthetic organic chemistry that are advantageous for the total synthesis of complex natural products or pharmaceuticals, because the starting materials, symmetric compounds, are typically prepared at a large scale from inexpensive sources, or are commercially available at low cost. Water is one of the most environmentally friendly and inexpensive solvents, and water-mediated organic reactions are typically regarded as a “green chemistry.”. Combining these concepts, the water-mediated desymmetrization of symmetric organic compounds is expected to offer remarkable synthetic values. This review highlights some of the recent progress in the research of non-enzymatic desymmetrization reactions in. Symmetry 2021, 13, 720 some of the recent progress in the research of non-enzymatic desymmetrization reactions in aqueous reaction media. Such studies have been explored only recently since around 2000, and it is still worthwhile for many researchers to pursue further aqueous reaction media. 2000, and it is still worthwhile for many researchers to pursue further investigation
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