Copper‐based Chiral Lewis Acids

Copper (Cu) has played a vital role in the field of organic synthesis as Lewis acid in both achiral and asymmetric transformations. Cu Lewis acids have found a broad range of applications in the field of organic chemistry in both achiral and chiral synthesis of biologically important structural motifs. This chapter details the utility and application of Cu(I) and Cu(II) Lewis acids in organic transformations over the past 10 years for the synthesis of important classes of compounds. In selected cases, it includes seminal work prior to the indicated timeframe. The chapter discusses wide ranges of organic transformations catalyzed by Cu salts, such as conjugate additions, aldol reaction, Mannich-type reaction, Friedel-Crafts alkylation, Diels-Alder and other cycloadditions, cyclopropanation, kinetic resolution, and so on. In the chapter, Cu functions as a reagent.