Cinchona alkaloids and their derivatives: Versatile catalysts and ligands in asymmetric synthesis

Cinchona alkaloids and their derivatives can catalyze an amazing array of s ynthetically important reactions, providing access to chiral products of hi gh enantiopurity. A review of such asymmetric reactions, comprising the wor k reported in the last two decades, is presented here. Cinchona alkaloids-d erived catalysts and ligands, either in monomeric form or attached to a pol ymeric support, are included in this review.