In this article, we review the recent progress that has been made in the field of Lewis-acid catalysis of carbon carbon-bond-forming reactions in aqueous solution. Since water hampers the hard hard interactions between the catalyst and the reactant, it often complicates catalysis. However, once coordination …

Various diazo compounds, nitrile oxides, nitrones and azomethine ylides were examined in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions to enantiomerically pure 5-(R)-menthyloxy-2(5H)-furanone 1a. Pyrazoline 9 was obtained in 100% c.y. as a mixture of 2 diastereoisomers in ratios up to 72: 28, whereas pyrazoline 16 was …