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Advances in the stereoselective synthesis of antifungal agents and ...

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Chapter 1 11.Introduction1.1. Chiral DrugsA large fraction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> many thous<strong>and</strong> drugs on <strong>the</strong> market are chiralcompounds (Fig1.) 1 . Due to economic factors, but also for traditionalreasons, many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m are marketed as racemates. Depend<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>the</strong>number <strong>of</strong> asymmetric centres, <strong>the</strong>y can exist as two or more enantiomers(2 n, where n is <strong>the</strong> numbers <strong>of</strong> chiral centres). For long time it was assumedthat <strong>the</strong>ir manufacture <strong>in</strong> enantiomerically pure form was too expensive <strong>and</strong>difficult to perform due to <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> syn<strong>the</strong>tic methods for <strong>the</strong>irpreparation.Drugs1675NaturalSemisyn<strong>the</strong>tic475Syn<strong>the</strong>tic1200Non chiral6Chiral469Non chiral720Chiral480Sold as s<strong>in</strong>gle enantiomers461Sold as racemate8Sold as s<strong>in</strong>gle enantiomers58Sold as racemate422Figure 1.1: Chiral drugs: applications as s<strong>in</strong>gle enantiomers or as racemic mixtures.Stereoselective syn<strong>the</strong>ses <strong>and</strong> techniques for <strong>the</strong> separation <strong>of</strong>diastereoisomers are now available <strong>and</strong> have reached economic feasibility,thus <strong>the</strong> situation is chang<strong>in</strong>g rapidly. Similar arguments are valid for <strong>the</strong>use <strong>and</strong> syn<strong>the</strong>sis <strong>of</strong> agrochemicals (Fig 1.2.).

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