The confined spaces of zeolites have been found to be ideal for carrying ou
t enantio- and diastereo-selective photoreactions. Four methods, (chiral in
ductor, chiral auxiliary, a combination (chiral inductor + chiral auxiliary
) and chiral inductor as a reagent) have been explored and all were found t
o give reasonable chiral induction on several systems. The uniqueness of ze
olites as media although established in this study, the factors that contro
l the high chiral induction in zeolite with respect to solution are yet to
be established. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.