Transition Metal Aziridination Catalysts

Abstract

Abstract Aziridines are three‐membered rings containing one nitrogen and two carbon atoms. This functional group is present in many bioactive molecules in addition to being a useful synthetic intermediate that is analogous to epoxides. Since they are a strained ring system, aziridines are reactive toward nucleophilic ring opening, ring expansion, and ring rearrangement reactions. Due to their importance in synthetic chemistry, numerous approaches to their synthesis have been developed. In addition to traditional organic reaction approaches to aziridination, transition metal catalyzed versions of this reaction have been developed. The primary rationales for catalyzed aziridination includes broadening the substrate scope, increasing yields (particularly under mild conditions), and improving enantiomeric purity. These catalytic reactions can mostly be designated as one of three classes. In this article, each of these important transition metal catalyzed aziridination reaction paths will be reviewed in addition to the catalysts that perform them.