Acyclic stereocontrol through the aldol condensation.

For the scientist who wishes to synthesize complex organic compounds, the most difficult problem is often establishing the correct configuration at the various chiral centers as the synthesis is being carried out. In the past decade, there has been an increasing effort to find direct solutions to this problem, which is particularly acute in the synthesis of acyclic and other conformationally flexible molecules. One of the oldest organic reactions, the aldol condensation, is emerging as a powerful tool for use in achieving such stereocontrol.