Abstract:

Organocatalysis has become the third kind of chemical catalysis besides enzyme and metal catalysis. Under the scientific background of nucleophilic phosphine organocatalysis, problem 6 of the 54th International Chemistry Olympiad is made up of a series of questions which are set with respects of the Lu (3+2) cycloaddition reaction including its occurrence, mechanism, asymmetric variant, and use in organic synthesis. By the diverse questionnaire, problem 6 examines contestants in respects of basic organic chemistry knowledge, learning ability, and logic analysis ability. Meanwhile, it also unveils to contestants a new function of nucleophilic phosphines as organocatalysts.

Key words: Cycloaddition, Phosphine catalysis, Tertiary phosphine, Organocatalyst