Straightforward Preparation of Highly Enantioselective Anchored Chiral Homogeneous Catalysts

Recycling Asymmetric Hydrogenation Catalysts by Their Immobilization onto Ion-Exchange Resins

Ion-exchange resins can be used as supports for the preparation of single-site, heterogenised asymmetric hydrogenation catalysts. The immobilised catalysts obtained can be efficiently and conveniently recovered and recycled. This article reviews the significant contributions in the field including the main concepts behind the design and the applications of this type of catalyst.

Asymmetric Heterogeneous Catalysis

Limited natural resources and an increasing demand for enantiomerically pure compounds render catalysis and especially heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis a key technology. The field has rapidly advanced from the initial use of chiral biopolymers, such as silk, as a support for metal catalysts to the modern research areas. Mesoporous supports, noncovalent immobilization, metal-organic catalysts, chiral modifiers: many areas are rapidly evolving. This Review shows that these catalysts have more to them than facile separation or recycling. Better activities and selectivities can be obtained than with the homogeneous catalyst and novel, efficient reaction mechanisms can be employed. Especially fascinating is the outlook for highly ordered metal-organic catalysts that might allow a rational design, synthesis, and the unequivocal structural characterization to give tailor-made catalysts.