Development of asymmetric phosphine-promoted annulations of allenes with electron-deficient olefins and imines.

Asymmetric annulation of allenes with electron-deficient olefins and imines is one of the most important reactions for the synthesis of optically active carbo- and heterocycles, which are useful building blocks for the synthesis of natural products and medicinally important substances. The use of chiral phosphines as enantioselective catalysts can be envisaged for such cyclizations. This article focuses on the important developments concerning asymmetric annulations of allenes with unsaturated partners in the recent decades and on the perspectives that these new developments offer. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012