Catalytic Enantioselective Diels Alder Reaction: Application in the Synthesis of Antiviral Agents

The Diels-Alder reaction (DAR) is one of the most effective and reliable strategies for the construction of six-membered carbocyclic and heterocyclic rings, and it is widely used in the synthesis of organic molecules and drugs. Due to the high regio- and stereo-selectivity and its versatility, DARs have represented a powerful tool for organic chemistry for many years. In addition, the asymmetric DAR has become a fundamental synthetic approach in the preparation of optically active six-membered rings and natural compounds. The COVID-19-related pandemic requires continuous research; DAR represents an useful method to obtain optically active intermediates for the synthesis of antiviral agents under different catalytic conditions. We would like to highlight an intriguing synthetic procedure applied to the development of novel synthetic protocols that are potentially useful against a large panel of viruses and other unmet diseases.