Enantiodivergent Hydrogenation of Exocyclic α,β-Unsaturated Lactams Enabled by Switching the N-Chirality of Iridium Catalyst

Central chirality is an important chiral element used in the design of chiral ligands and catalysts. Mostly, the attention of organic chemists is focused on developing of chiral ligands with stable stereogenic centers. However, the N-chirality in chiral ligand design has been rarely explored due to its flexibility. Here we demonstrate the design, synthesis, and application of a class of simple P,N-ligands with flexible N-chirality and their derived iridium complexes with fixed N-chiral stereocenters. Both fixed configurations of the N-stereocenter of the iridium complexes could be selectively formed from the same chiral ligand. This pair of diastereoisomeric iridium complexes showed good performance in the enantiodivergent asymmetric hydrogenation of exocyclic α,β-unsaturated lactams. The N−H group plays an impressive role in catalytic activity. Computational studies emphasized the importance of N-chirality and N−H group.     

Chiral Iridium Spiro Aminophosphine Complexes: Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Simple Ketones,Structure, and Plausible Mechanism

The iridium complexes of chiral spiro aminophophine ligands, especially the ligand with 3,5‐di‐tert‐butylphenyl groups on the P atom ( 1c ) were demonstrated to be highly efficient catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of alkyl aryl ketones. In the presence of KOtBu as a base and under mild reaction conditions, a series of chiral alcohols were synthesized in up to 97 % ee with high turnover number (TON up to 10 000) and high turnover frequency (TOF up to 3.7×10⁴ h⁻¹). Investigation on the structures of the iridium complexes of ligands (R)‐ 1a and 1c by X‐ray analyses disclosed that the 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl groups on the P‐phenyl rings of the ligand are the key factor for achieving high activity and enantioselectivity of the catalyst. Study of the catalysts generated from the Ir‐(R)‐ 1c complex and H₂ by means of ESI‐MS and NMR spectroscopy indicated that the early formed iridium dihydride complex with one (R)‐ 1c ligand was the active species, which was slowly transformed into an inactive iridium dihydride complex with two (R)‐ 1c ligands. A plausible mechanism for the reaction was also suggested to explain the observations of the hydrogenation reactions.     

Chiral iridium(I) bis(NHC) complexes as catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The common use of NHC complexes in transition‐metal mediated C–C coupling and metathesis reactions in recent decades has established N‐heterocyclic carbenes as a new class of ligand for catalysis. The field of asymmetric catalysis with complexes bearing NHC‐containing chiral ligands is dominated by mixed carbene/oxazoline or carbene/phosphane chelating ligands. In contrast, applications of complexes with chiral, chelating bis(NHC) ligands are rare. In the present work new chiral iridium(I) bis(NHC) complexes and their application in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones are described. A series of chiral bis(azolium) salts have been prepared following a synthetic pathway, starting from L ‐valinol and the modular buildup allows the structural variation of the ligand precursors. The iridium complexes were formed via a one‐pot transmetallation procedure. The prepared complexes were applied as catalysts in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various prochiral ketones, affording the corresponding chiral alcohols in high yields and moderate to good enantioselectivities of up to 68%. The enantioselectivities of the catalysts were strongly affected by the various, terminal N‐substituents of the chelating bis(NHC) ligands. The results presented in this work indicate the potential of bis‐carbenes as stereodirecting ligands for asymmetric catalysis and are offering a base for further developments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective anti‐Selective Hydrogenation of α‐Amino‐β‐keto Ester Hydrochlorides and Related Compounds Using Transition‐Metal–Chiral‐Bisphosphine Catalysts

This review describes our recent works on the diastereo‐ and enantioselective synthesis of anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters using transition‐metal–chiral‐bisphosphine catalysts. A variety of transition metals, namely ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh),iridium (Ir), and nickel (Ni), in combination with chiral bisphosphines, worked well as catalysts for the direct anti‐selective asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides, yielding anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters via dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) in excellent yields and diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. The Ru‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐ketoesters via DKR is the first example of generating anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acids. Complexes of iridium and axially chiral bisphosphines catalyze an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides via dynamic kinetic resolution. A homogeneous Ni–chiral‐bisphosphine complex also catalyzes an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides in an anti‐selective manner. As a related process, the asymmetric hydrogenation of the configurationally stable substituted α‐aminoketones using a Ni catalyst via DKR is also described.     

Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Maleic Acid Diesters and Anhydrides

Asymmetric hydrogenation of maleic and fumaric acid derivatives with iridium catalysts based on N,P ligands provides an efficient route to chiral enantioenriched succinates. A new catalyst derived from a 2,6‐difluorophenyl‐substituted pyridine‐phosphinite ligand was developed and enables the conversion of a wide range of 2‐alkyl and 2‐arylmaleic acid diesters into the corresponding succinates in high enantiomeric purity. Mixtures of cis/trans substrates can be hydrogenated in an enantioconvergent fashion with high enantioselectivity, and further enhances the scope of this transformation. The products are valuable chiral building blocks with a structural motif found in many bioactive compounds, such as metalloproteinase inhibitors.     

Octahedral Chiral‐at‐Metal Iridium Catalysts: Versatile Chiral Lewis Acids for Asymmetric Conjugate Additions

Octahedral iridium(III) complexes containing two bidentate cyclometalating 5‐tert‐butyl‐2‐phenylbenzoxazole ( IrO ) or 5‐tert‐butyl‐2‐phenylbenzothiazole ( IrS ) ligands in addition to two labile acetonitrile ligands are demonstrated to constitute a highly versatile class of asymmetric Lewis acid catalysts. These complexes feature the metal center as the exclusive source of chirality and serve as effective asymmetric catalysts (0.5–5.0 mol % catalyst loading) for a variety of reactions with α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds, namely Friedel–Crafts alkylations (94–99 % ee), Michael additions with CH‐acidic compounds (81–97 % ee), and a variety of cycloadditions (92–99 % ee with high d.r.). Mechanistic investigations and crystal structures of an iridium‐coordinated substrates and iridium‐coordinated products are consistent with a mechanistic picture in which the α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds are activated by two‐point binding (bidentate coordination) to the chiral Lewis acid.     

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (−)‐Doliculide Using Catalytic Asymmetric Hydrogenations

A concise and efficient strategy has been developed to construct a polyketide chain by employing relay asymmetric hydrogenations catalyzed by two chiral spiro iridium catalysts. By using this strategy, an enantioselective total synthesis of (?)‐doliculide has been achieved in 19 steps with 6.9 % overall yield. The route features high enantioselectivity and diastereoselectivity. The catalyst loading can be as low as 0.005 mol‐%. It is convenient to obtain natural polyketides and their analogues by this strategy.     

金属催化的不对称氢化反应研究进展与展望

手性过渡金属络合物催化的不对称氢化反应是合成光学活性化合物的重要方法. 本文从手性配体及手性催化剂、不对称催化新反应、新方法和新策略三个方面简要评述新世纪以来过渡金属催化的不对称氢化反应研究领域的新进展. 从新世纪初至今, 手性单磷配体得到了复兴, 出现了如MonoPhos、SiPhos、DpenPhos等高效单齿亚磷酰胺酯配体; 磷原子手性(P-手性)配体也得到了快速发展, 如BenzP*、ZhanPhos、TriFer等已成为新的高效手性双膦配体; 螺环骨架手性配体成为新世纪手性配体设计合成的亮点, 除了SiPhos、SIPHOX、SpinPHOX等高效手性螺环配体外, 手性螺环吡啶胺基磷配体SpiroPAP的铱催化剂成为目前最高效的分子催化剂. 不对称催化氢化新反应研究也取得了突破, 如非保护烯胺、杂芳环化合物及N-H亚胺的氢化等反应都实现了高对映选择性. 自组装手性催化剂、树枝状手性催化剂、铁磁性纳米负载的可回收手性催化剂, 以及“混合”配体手性催化剂等新方法和新策略也在不对称催化氢化反应中得到了应用. 然而, 手性过渡金属络合物催化的不对称氢化研究仍然充满挑战, 也期待新的突破.     

A Rhodium Catalyst Superior to Iridium Congeners for Enantioselective Radical Amination Activated by Visible Light

A bis‐cyclometalated rhodium(III) complex catalyzes a visible‐light‐activated enantioselective α‐amination of 2‐acyl imidazoles with up to 99 % yield and 98 % ee. The rhodium catalyst is ascribed a dual function as a chiral Lewis acid and, simultaneously, as a light‐activated smart initiator of a radical‐chain process through intermediate aminyl radicals. Notably, related iridium‐based photoredox catalysts reported before were unsuccessful in this enantioselective radical C?N bond formation. The surprising preference for rhodium over iridium is attributed to much faster ligand‐exchange kinetics of the rhodium complexes involved in the catalytic cycle, which is crucial to keep pace with the highly reactive and thus short‐lived nitrogen‐centered radical intermediate.     

Sequence‐Dependent Stereodivergent Allylic Alkylation/Fluorination of Acyclic Ketones

The stereodivergent iridium‐catalyzed allylic alkylation and fluorination of acyclic ketones is described. α‐Pyridyl‐α‐fluoroketones with vicinal tertiary and quaternary stereocenters were obtained in moderate to excellent yields and stereoselectivities. Distinct from known stereodivergent synthesis, for which two different chiral catalysts are required in general, herein we report a sequence‐dependent stereodivergent synthesis. With only a single chiral Ir catalyst, all four possible stereoisomers of the products were prepared from the same starting materials by simply adjusting the sequence of asymmetric allylic alkylation and fluorination and varying the absolute configuration of the Ir catalyst.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Imines

We have evaluated a wide range of iridium complexes derived from chiral oxazoline‐based N,P ligands for the asymmetric hydrogenation of imines and identified three efficient catalysts. These catalysts are readily synthesized by straightforward convenient routes and are air and moisture stable. In the reduction of acetophenone N‐arylimines and related acyclic substrates, excellent enantioselectivities (up to 96 % ee) were obtained by using 0.1–0.5 mol % of catalyst at ?20 °C and 5–50 bar hydrogen pressure.     

Heterogeneous Catalysis for Water Oxidation by an Iridium Complex Immobilized on Bipyridine‐Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica

Heterogenization of metal‐complex catalysts for water oxidation without loss of their catalytic activity is important for the development of devices simulating photosynthesis. In this study, efficient heterogeneous iridium complexes for water oxidation were prepared using bipyridine‐bridged periodic mesoporous organosilica (BPy‐PMO) as a solid chelating ligand. The BPy‐PMO‐based iridium catalysts (Ir‐BPy‐PMO) were prepared by postsynthetic metalation of BPy‐PMO and characterized through physicochemical analyses. The Ir‐BPy‐PMOs showed high catalytic activity for water oxidation. The turnover frequency (TOF) values for Ir‐BPy‐PMOs were one order of magnitude higher than those of conventional heterogeneous iridium catalysts. The reusability and stability of Ir‐BPy‐PMO were also examined, and detailed characterization was conducted using powder X‐ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, ¹³C DD MAS NMR spectroscopy, TEM, and XAFS methods.     

醇预处理载体制备的 Ir-Re/SiO2催化剂上甘油氢解反应

甘油是生物柴油的副产物,将其转化为高附加值的化学品,能提高生物柴油产业的经济性.1,3-丙二醇是聚酯和聚氨酯的单体,也用于合成医药和用作有机合成中间体,甘油直接催化氢解反应制1,3-丙二醇极具发展潜力.另外,甘油是生物质转化的重要平台分子之一,与目标产物的分子结构相比较,生物质平台分子通常含有过多的含氧基团,尤其是多余的羟基,通过甘油氢解反应研究多羟基的选择性活化和脱除,可以加深对生物质脱氧规律的认识.因此,研究甘油氢解反应制1,3-丙二醇催化剂和工艺,不仅具有潜在的应用前景,而且具有重要理论价值.然而,目前的甘油氢解催化剂性能还不够高,我们希望通过一些表面改性的方法处理载体硅胶,从而改变金属前驱体与载体表面的作用.因此,本文使用 C1–C4的正构醇处理硅胶载体,其负载的 Ir-Re催化剂上甘油氢解反应转化率从42.7%提高到59.5%,仲羟基脱除收率从21.6%提高到28.3%.研究发现,当处理载体所用正构醇的碳数从1增加到3时,对应催化剂上甘油转化率逐渐增加至最高;但当使用更正丁醇时,对应催化剂上甘油转化率下降.为了探究催化剂活性改变的原因,我们首先采用红外光谱(FT-IR)和氮气物理吸附确定烷氧基基团嫁接到硅胶载体上.程序升温还原结果发现,预处理载体相应的催化剂开始还原温度降低,表明在这些催化剂上形成了颗粒尺寸较小的Ir粒子. X-射线衍射分析发现,在新鲜的和使用后的催化剂上均未检测出Re物种的衍射峰,说明Re高度分散于催化剂表面.吸附吡啶的FT-IR结果表明,未处理和丙醇预处理硅胶负载的催化剂上均没有强酸位,它们的B/L酸比值相近,约为3.3.催化剂的吸附COFT-IR结果表明, CO线性吸附于Ir/SiO2催化剂上的主要吸收峰位置在2084 cm–1;而Re的加入使得该吸收峰红移,表明Ir和ReOx物种之间存在相互作用.透射电镜(TEM)、H2-程序升温脱附和NH3-程序升温脱附结果发现,醇预处理催化剂上具有更多的Ir-ReOx界面,而界面位点的数量与甘油转化率大小一致,表明Ir-ReOx位点可能就是甘油氢解的活性中心.反应后催化剂的TEM结果表明,醇预处理催化剂上的Ir颗粒要小于未处理催化剂的,其中丙醇预处理硅胶负载的催化剂上Ir粒径最小.这是由于醇处理催化剂上存在很多孤立的Si–OH,它们与金属前驱体相互作用有利于形成较小的金属颗粒.这些孤立的Si-OH则是由于表面烷氧基基团的隔离作用所形成的.当处理载体所用正构醇的碳数从1增加到3时,烷氧基的碳链变长,分隔作用越好,阻止金属前驱体聚集的程度越强,因而Ir物种和Re物种的分散度增加.但是当处理醇的碳数增加到4时,形成的表面烷氧基基团可能阻止了Re物种和Ir物种间相互作用,从而使得Ir和Re物种的分散度均降低,相应催化剂活性随之降低.     

Stereoconvergent,Redox‐Neutral Access to Tetrahydroquinoxalines through Relay Epoxide Opening/Amination of Alcohols

We present an economical catalytic procedure to convert readily available 1,2‐diaminobenzenes and terminal epoxides into valuable 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoxalines in a highly enantioselective fashion. This procedure operates through relay zinc and iridium catalysis, and achieves redox‐neutral and stereoconvergent production of valuable chiral heterocycles from racemic starting materials with water as the only side product. The use of commercially available reagents and catalysts and a convenient procedure also make this catalytic method attractive for practical application.     

Stereoconvergent,Redox‐Neutral Access to Tetrahydroquinoxalines through Relay Epoxide Opening/Amination of Alcohols

We present an economical catalytic procedure to convert readily available 1,2‐diaminobenzenes and terminal epoxides into valuable 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoxalines in a highly enantioselective fashion. This procedure operates through relay zinc and iridium catalysis, and achieves redox‐neutral and stereoconvergent production of valuable chiral heterocycles from racemic starting materials with water as the only side product. The use of commercially available reagents and catalysts and a convenient procedure also make this catalytic method attractive for practical application.     

Additive-Free Transfer Hydrogenative Direct Asymmetric Reductive Amination Using a Chiral Pyridine-Derived Half-Sandwich Catalyst

Chiral amines are broadly used compounds in pharmaceutical industry and organic synthesis, and reductive amination reactions have been the most appreciated methods for their syntheses. However, one-step transfer hydrogenative direct asymmetric reductive amination (THDARA) that could expand the scope, simplify the operation and eliminate the use of additives has been challenging. In this work, based on the Xiao's racemic transfer hydrogenative reductive amination in 2010 and our recent work in novel chiral pyridine ligands, chiral half-sandwich iridium catalysts were rationally designed and synthesized. Using the optimized catalyst and azeotropic mixture of formic acid and triethylamine as the hydrogen source, a broad range of α-chiral (hetero)aryl amines, including various polar functional groups and heterocycles, were prepared in generally high yield and enantioselectivity under mild and operationally simple conditions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation of the catalytically active Ir−H species and the key hydride transfer step supported the chiral pyridine-induced stereospecific generation of the iridium center, and the enantioselection by taming the highly flexible key transition structure with multiple attractive non-covalent interactions. This work introduced a type of effective chiral catalysts for simplified approach to medicinally important chiral amines, as well as a rare example of robust enantioselective transition-metal catalysis.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydroalkynylation of Enamides for the Synthesis of Homopropargyl Amides

Reported is an iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydroalkynylation of enamides with terminal alkynes. The reaction occurs regioselectively at the β‐position of an enamide to produce homopropargyl amides. Good to high enantioselectivity was observed with an iridium complex ligated by a chiral bis(phosphine) ligand. This method provides a straightforward route to synthesize chiral homopropargyl amides with a stereocenter β to the amide.     

Chiral Hetero‐ and Carbocyclic Compounds from the Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Cyclic Alkenes

Several types of chiral hetero‐ and carbocyclic compounds have been synthesized by using the asymmetric hydrogenation of cyclic alkenes. N,P‐Ligated iridium catalysts reduced six‐membered cyclic alkenes with various substituents and heterofunctionality in good to excellent enantioselectivity, whereas the reduction of five‐membered cyclic alkenes was generally less selective, giving modest enantiomeric excesses. The stereoselectivity of the hydrogenation depended more strongly on the substrate structure for the five‐ rather than the six‐membered cyclic alkenes. The major enantiomer formed in the reduction of six‐membered alkenes could be predicted from a selectivity model and isomeric alkenes had complementary enantioselectivity, giving opposite optical isomers upon hydrogenation. The utility of the reaction was demonstrated by using it as a key step in the preparation of chiral 1,3‐cis‐cyclohexane carboxylates.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed H/D Exchange: Ligand Complexes with Improved Efficiency and Scope

Hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE) is one of the most attractive tools for the introduction of deuterium or tritium to an organic compound. Herein, iridium complexes with N,P‐ligands, highly active catalysts for asymmetric double bond reductions, have been tested for their HIE capabilities. Electron‐rich ligands, containing dicyclohexylphosphines or phosphinites, have been identified as excellent ligands for efficient deuterium incorporation. Substrates with strong directing groups, that is, pyridines, ketones, and amides, as well as weak ligating units, such as, nitro, sulfones, and sulfonamides, could be labeled efficiently. With the addition of tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane to the reaction mixture, also highly deactivating nitrile substituents were well tolerated in the reaction. Based on the excellent results obtained with the chiral ThrePhox ligand, a structurally simpler, achiral ligand was developed. The iridium complex containing this ligand, proved to be a powerful catalyst for HIE reactions.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Pyrimidines

The asymmetric hydrogenation of pyrimidines proceeded with high enantioselectivity (up to 99 % ee) using an iridium catalyst composed of [IrCl(cod)]₂, a ferrocene‐containing chiral diphosphine ligand (Josiphos), iodine, and Yb(OTf)₃ (cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene). The chiral catalyst converted various 4‐substituted pyrimidines into chiral 1,4,5,6‐tetrahydropyrimidines in high yield. The lanthanide triflate is crucial for achieving the high enantioselectivity as well as for activating the heteroarene substrate.