Abstract

Asymmetric catalysis has always been the keytechnology for the production of enantiomerically purecompounds. The use of homogeneous catalysts has longtime dominated the field, due to their excellent selectivitiesand activities, but recently the significant developmentsachieved in solid-phase chemistry has resulted in manyprocesses and synthetic protocols for natural productsrelated to stereoselective heterogeneous catalysts.Microwave irradiation protocols have also progressed dueto their ability to selectively activate molecules that in turnlead to higher reaction rates and even selectivities in somecases, at significantly reduced times of reaction and milderconditions. In this article, we aim to bridge the gapbetween these two important topics, giving an overview ofkey developments in microwave-assisted asymmetrictransformations using chiral catalysts.