Samarium-Mediated Asymmetric Synthesis

Samarium is an efficient reducing agent, a radical generator in cyclization and a cascade addition reaction. Interestingly, samarium metal has crucial impact on numerous C-C and C-X (X = hetero atom) bond forming transformations. It has been established as an exceptional chemo-selective and stereoselective reagent. The reactivity of the samarium catalyst/reagent is remarkably enhanced in the presence of various additives, ligands and solvents through effective coordination and an increase in reduction potential. It has inherent character to act as electron donor for a wide range of transformations including the asymmetric version of various reactions. This review accentuates the developments in samarium-mediated/catalyzed asymmetric organic synthesis over the past 12 years, where the chirality has been induced from ligand, a nearby asymmetric center within the substrate or through coordination directed stereospecific reactions.