Enantioselective C–C bond synthesis catalysed by enzymes

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Abstract
The enantioselective synthesis of C–C bonds is often the pivotal step of a synthesis. Nature has made a variety of versatile enzymes available that catalyse this type of reaction very selectively under mild conditions. Cyanohydrins, acyloins (α-hydroxy ketones), α-hydroxy acids and aldols (β-hydroxy ketones) are very efficiently synthesised enantioselectively with the aid of C–C bond forming enzymes, which we discuss in this tutorial review. In the case of the α-hydroxy acids the applications of nitrilases in a synthetic dkr even allows a disconnection that has no enantioselective chemical equivalent.