Advances in the Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral α‐Aryl Ketones

An α‐aryl‐substituted enantioenriched ketone is a valuable building block for the production of both natural and medicinal compounds. Research into their asymmetric synthesis can be challenging yet rewarding because of the need to control regio‐, chemo‐, and enantioselectivity carefully. A wide range of catalytic strategies has been developed during the past three decades to gain access to these favored motifs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of catalytic approaches for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral α‐aryl ketones, classifying the methods according to the type of catalyst employed, including chiral Brønsted acid and Lewis acid‐assisted Brønsted acid catalysis, transition metal catalysis (palladium, nickel, copper, and cobalt systems), and N ‐heterocyclic carbene catalysis. The mechanistic diversity of these methods, encompassing enolate arylation, acylation, hydroacylation, protonation, rearrangement, and direct CH functionalization, has facilitated the synthesis of various chiral α‐aryl ketones under consistently milder and more sustainable circumstances.