Stronger bronsted acids

We discussed Brønsted-acid-catalyzed reactions starting from achiral reactions and ending with catalyzed enantioselective reactions. Spectacular advancement has been made in the area of "stronger Brønsted-acid catalysis". The scope of the substrates is expanding at an unprecedented pace, and there is no doubt that more and more useful synthetic reactions will be developed in the near future. Mechanistic studies of chiral Brønsted-acid catalysis are required to expand the scope and develop even more efficient and novel types of chiral Brønsted-acid catalysis. Although chiral Brønsted-acid catalysis is, thus far, restricted to academic synthesis, industrial applications are expected from economic and environmental points of view. We believe that chiral Brønsted-acid catalysts and metal-oriented chiral catalysts will complement each other and make significant contributions to synthetic organic chemistry. © 2007 American Chemical Society.