Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands Enable Asymmetric C-H Bond Functionalization.

The asymmetric functionalization of C-H bond is a particularly valuable approach for the production of enantioenriched chiral organic compounds. Chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have become ubiquitous in enantioselective transition-metal catalysis. Conversely, the use of chiral NHC ligands in metal-catalyzed asymmetric C-H bond functionalization is still at an early stage. This minireview highlights all the developments and the new advances in this rapidly evolving research area.