Fig. 1: Chalcogen bonding in functional molecules and asymmetric synthesis.

a Chalcogen bond (ChB). b ChB in living systems, medicines, and agrochemicals. c Intermolecular (cationic) ChB in organic catalysis. d Intramolecular (neutral) ChB of substrate as enabling tools for asymmetric synthesis (of chiral sulfoxides). e Examples of functional chiral sulfoxides.