Anion-π catalysis on carbon allotropes

Anion-n catalysis, introduced in 2013, stands for the stabilization of anionic transition states on n-acidic aromatic surfaces. Anion-n catalysis on carbon allotropes is particularly attractive because high polarizability promises access to really strong anion-n interactions. With these expectations, anion-n catalysis on fullerenes has been introduced in 2017, followed by carbon nanotubes in 2019. Consistent with expectations from theory, anion-n catalysis on carbon allotropes generally increases with polarizability. Realized examples reach from enolate addition chemistry to asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions and autocatalytic ether cyclizations. Currently, anion-n catalysis on carbon allotropes gains momentum because the combination with electric-field-assisted catalysis promises transformative impact on organic synthesis.