Advances in Asymmetric Synthesis

Enantioselective synthetic methods are not only in the forefront of chemical and pharmaceutical research but activity in this area is constantly increasing. It is stimulated by the urgency to obtain drugs or compounds of medicinal interest as single anantiomers, and the keeness to synthesize natural products in nonracemic form. This volume presents seven chapters from pioneers and authorities in this rapidly expanding field.

Preface. Asymmetric synthesis of &Bgr;-amino acids and &Bgr;-lactum derivatives via cunjugate addition of metal amides. Enantioselective deprotonation of cyclic ketones. Stereoselective addition of chiral &agr;-aminoorganometallics to aldehydes. Asymmetric access to functional, structurally diverse molecules exploiting five-membered heterocyclic silyloxy dienes. Asymmetric catalysis using heterobimetallic compounds. Palladium-catalyzed enantioselective allylic substitution reactions. New achievements in asymmetric synthesis of organophosphorous compounds.