Boronic Esters in Asymmetric Synthesis

The author's work on (alpha-haloalkyl)boronic esters as reagents for asymmetric synthesis is reviewed. Diastereomeric ratios exceeding 1000 can be achieved with this chemistry, and ratios around 100 are commonplace. The method allows sequential installation of a series of stereocenters and tolerates a wide variety of suitably protected functional substituents. (alpha-Amidoalkyl)boronic acids include biochemically significant serine protease inhibitors, one of which is the clinically successful proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, used for treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma.