Homogeneous catalysis plays an important and ubiquitous role in the synthesis of simple
and complex molecules, including drug compounds, natural products, and agrochemicals.
In recent years, the wide-reaching importance of homogeneous catalysis has made it
an indispensable tool for the modification of biomolecules, such as carbohydrates
(sugars), amino acids, peptides, nucleosides, nucleotides, and steroids. Such a synthetic
strategy offers several advantages, which have led to the development of new molecules
of biological relevance at a rapid rate relative to the number of available synthetic
methods. Given the powerful nature of homogeneous catalysis in effecting these synthetic
transformations, this Focus Review has been compiled to highlight these important
developments.
