Dendritic phosphoramidite ligands in Rh-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenations

The axially chiral BICOL backbone was functionalised with two third generation carbosilane dendritic wedges and further elaborated to a phosphoramidite ligand. High enantioselectivities were obtained when these monodentate ligands were applied in the rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl 2-acetamidocinnamate.     

Polymer-supported monodentate phosphite ligands for asymmetric hydrogenation

Several new polymer-supported monophosphite ligands have been developed and the rhodium complexes were shown to be highly efficient, highly enantioselective and easily separable catalysts for asymmetric hydrogenation of itaconates, enamides, α-dehydroamino acid derivatives and β-dehydroamino acid derivatives.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrovinylation under mild conditions using monodentate chiral spiro phosphoramidite and phosphite ligands

Palladium complexes of chiral spiro phosphoramidite and phosphite ligands are effective catalysts in the asymmetric hydrovinylation of vinylarenes with ethylene. The hydrovinylation products were obtained in modest selectivity with enantioselectivities up to 92% ee. The structures of the palladium catalysts have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The active catalyst contained one monodentate ligand. A kinetic resolution accompanied the isomerization of the hydrovinylation product in the reaction.     

Synthesis, reactions and X-ray crystal structures of metallacrown ethers with unsymmetrical bis(phosphinite) and bis(phosphite) ligands derived from 2-hydroxy-2′-(1,4-bisoxo-6-hexanol)-1,1′-biphenyl

Chlorodiphenylphosphine and 2,2′-biphenylylenephosphorochloridite react with 2-hydroxy-2′-(1,4-bisoxo-6-hexanol)-1,1′-biphenyl to yield the new α,ω-bis(phosphorus-donor)-polyether ligands, 2-Ph₂PO(CH₂CH₂O)₂–C₁₂H₈-2′-OPPh₂ (1) and 2-(2,2′-O₂C₁₂H₈)P(CH₂CH₂O)₂–C₁₂H₈-2′-P(2,2′-O₂C₁₂H₈) (2). These ligands react with Mo(CO)₄(nbd) to form the monomeric metallacrown ethers, cis-Mo(CO)₄{2-Ph₂PO(CH₂CH₂O)₂–C₁₂H₈-2′-OPPh₂} (cis-3) and cis-Mo(CO)₄{2-(2,2′-O₂C₁₂H₈)P(CH₂CH₂O)₂–C₁₂H₈-2′-P(2,2′-O₂C₁₂H₈)} (cis-4), in good yields. The X-ray crystal structures of cis-3 and cis-4 are significantly different, especially in the conformation of the metal center and the adjacent ethylene group. The very different ¹³C-NMR coordination chemical shifts of this ethylene group in cis-3 and cis-4 suggest that the solution conformations of these metallacrown ethers are also quite different. Both metallacrown ethers undergo cis–trans isomerization in the presence of HgCl₂. Although the cis–trans equilibrium constants for the isomerization reactions are nearly identical, the isomerization of cis-3 is more rapid. Phenyl lithium reacts with cis-3 to form the corresponding benzoyl complexes but does not react with either trans-3 or cis-4. Both the slower rate of cis–trans isomerization of cis-4 and its lack of reaction with PhLi are consistent with weaker interactions between the hard metal cations and the carbonyl oxygens in both trans-3 and cis-4.     

Copper catalyzed tandem asymmetric conjugate addition-cyclization reaction in the presence of chiral phosphoramidite ligands

Copper-catalyzed intramolecular conjugate addition-cyclization in the presence of chiral phosphoramidite ligands was described. Cyclic products with multiple chiral centers were obtained with up to 93:7 diastereomeric ratio and 94% ee.     

Furanoside thioether-phosphinite ligands for Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reactions: Scope and limitations

A series of readily available thioether-phosphinite ligands has been tested in the Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions of several acyclic and cyclic allylic substrates (S1-S7). This series of ligands have been designed to uncover their important structural features and to determine the scope of the thioether-phosphinite ligands in these catalytic reactions. Systematic variation of the electronic and steric properties at the thioether moiety provide useful information about the ligand parameters that control the enantiodiscrimination. By carefully selecting the ligand parameters, good enantioselectivities with high activities were obtained for hindered linear substrates S1 and S2 (ee’s up to 95%) and for unhindered cyclic substrates S4 and S5 (ee’s up to 91%).     

A new easily accessible chiral phosphite-phosphoramidite ligand based on 2-anilinoethanol and R-BINOL moieties for Rh-catalyzed asymmetric olefin hydrogenation

A novel chiral phosphite-phosphoramidite ligand based on 2-anilinoethanol and R-BINOL moieties has been synthesized in one-pot. The ligand was evaluated in the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of α- and β-dehydroamino acid derivatives and dimethyl itaconate in three different solvents at 25 °C, at 1 or 50 bar of hydrogen pressure. The solvent and the pressure effect are discussed.     

Cymantrene-derived monodentate phosphites: New ligands for Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation

Novel chiral monodentate phosphite ligands bearing cymantrene fragment have been prepared. Phosphite 4 with PPh₃, instead of CO-ligand, in cymantrene moiety provided higher enantioselectivity than its unsubstituted analogue 3 in hydrogenation of (Z)-methyl-2-acetamido-3-phenylacrylate.     

Palladium-catalyzed, asymmetric Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of prochiral cyclobutanones with PHOX ligands

Described in this report is a general method for the conversion of prochiral 3-substituted cyclobutanones to enantioenriched γ-lactones through a palladium-catalyzed Baeyer-Villiger oxidation using phosphinooxazoline ligands in up to 99% yield and 81% ee. Lactones of enantiopurity ≥93% could be obtained through a single recrystallization step. Importantly, 3,3-disubtituted cyclobutanones produced enantioenriched lactones containing a β-quaternary center.     

Novel α-fluorinated cyclic phosphite and phosphinite ligands and their Rh-complexes as suitable catalysts in hydroformylation

Asymmetrical cyclic phosphite and phosphinite ligands of a novel type bearing either trifluoromethyl or pentafluorophenyl group were synthesized using >PCl or >PN< species and racemic fluorinated alcohols. The P-ligands were converted to complexes of Rh^III(L)(Cp^∗)Cl₂ type (where L = phosphite or phosphinite) and, in two instances, their stereostructures were evaluated by X-ray analysis. These complexes along with in situ systems, formed from Rh(CO)₂(acac) precursor and the corresponding ligand, were tested in the hydroformylation of styrene. Both systems provided excellent hydroformylation activities at 100 °C. Using the Rh^I in situ systems, moderate and high regioselectivities towards the branched aldehyde (2-phenyl-propanal) were obtained at 100 and 40 °C, respectively.     

Palladium complexes of phosphinamine ligands in the intramolecular asymmetric Heck reaction

The synthesis of two novel cyclisation substrates for the asymmetric intramolecular Heck reaction is reported. Their cyclisation, in addition to a known substrate for cis-decalin formation, were tested with palladium complexes of BINAP and heterobidentate oxazoline-containing ligands. In general BINAP provides a more active catalyst system for the range of substrates tested although excellent enantioselectivities of up to 85% were obtained with the P,N ligands studied. A trend was noted whereby the t-leucine-derived oxazoline ligands were more reactive and enantioselective than the valine-derived analogues. Similarly, the diphenylphosphinoferrocenyloxazoline ligands were more reactive and selective than the corresponding diphenylphosphinophenyloxazoline ligands.     

Influence of copper salts, solvents, and ligands on the structures of precatalytic phosphoramidite copper complexes for conjugate addition reactions

For copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition reactions of organozinc reagents, the available knowledge about the mechanism and the structures involved is still insufficient to understand in detail the strong influences of solvent, salt, and ligand size, or to enable a rational control of this reaction. Screening with three phosphoramidite ligands and four copper(I) salts using NMR spectroscopy has revealed a binuclear copper complex with mixed trigonal/tetrahedral stereochemistry as the basic structural motif of the ground state of precatalysts with highly stereoselective ligands. Ligands with smaller amine moieties allow higher coordination numbers and higher aggregation levels, leading to reduced ee values. Since the ESI mass spectra of several precatalytic copper halide complexes show a striking correlation with the structures observed in solution, ESI-MS may be used as a fast tool to determine the maximum number of phosphoramidite ligands attached to copper.     

New phosphorus dendrimers with chiral ferrocenyl phosphine-thioether ligands on the periphery for asymmetric catalysis

Chiral ferrocenyl phosphine-thioether ligands have been covalently bound on the periphery of 4 phosphorus dendrimers (generations 1-4) having a cyclotriphosphazene core and on one model compound. These new dendrimers proved to be efficient ligands for the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reaction (ee up to 93%).     

New tagged naplephos ligands for asymmetric allylic substitutions under traditional and unconventional conditions

This paper demonstrates the versatility of the class of chiral ligands naplephos, which has been further refined by preparing new ‘tagged’ versions for selective use in polar media (e.g., ionic liquids). These modified types, along with the best performing original varieties, have been examined in two Pd-catalysed asymmetric processes involving C-C and C-N bond formation. High ees have been achieved in traditional solvents, while the experiments performed in ionic liquids confirm the difficulty of predicting the outcome of a reaction in these media and the general decrease in the catalytic performance.     

Origin of stereoinduction by chiral aminophosphane phosphinite ligands in enantioselective catalysis: asymmetric hydroformylation

The origin of stereoinduction by chiral aminophosphane phosphinite (AMPP) ligands in asymmetric hydroformylation was investigated with a theoretical approach. The roles of the stereogenic center at the aminophosphane phosphorus atom (NP*) and of the chirality of the backbone were analyzed by considering three experimentally tested cases: 1) P-stereogenic yielding high ee, 2) P-nonstereogenic yielding low ee, and 3) P-stereogenic yielding low ee. We succeeded in reproducing the experimentally observed trends for the three studied AMPP ligands. Our results indicated that alkene insertion into the rhodium-hydride bond is the selectivity-determining step, and not alkene coordination. Additional calculations on model systems revealed that the different nonbonding weak-type interactions of styrene with the substituents of the NP* stereogenic center in an axial position is responsible for stereodifferentiation. The chirality of the AMPP backbone plays a secondary role. The rationalization of the stereochemical outcome is not straightforward, because two competitive equatorial/axial reaction paths, showing opposite asymmetric induction, must be considered. Construction of stereochemical models and evaluation of stereoinduction for novel ligand systems suggested that two prerequisites are required to improve the performance of AMPP-type ligands in asymmetric hydroformylation: 1) combination of stereorecognition and stereohindrance by substituents at the NP* atom, and 2) more rigid backbones.     

Novel chiral C2-symmetric multidentate aminophosphine ligands for use in catalytic asymmetric reduction of ketones

A series of novel chiral C₂-symmetric multidentate aminophosphine ligands have been successfully synthesized by Schiff-base condensation of bis（o-formylphenyl）phenylphosphane and easily available monoprotected（1R,2R）-diaminocyclohexane.The catalytic properties of these ligands were investigated in Ir-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various aromatic ketones,giving the corresponding optical active alcohols with up to 98%conversion and good ee under mild reaction conditions.     

Chiral diphosphine ligands based on camphor: synthesis and applications in asymmetric hydrogenations

The synthesis of a novel class of atropisomer chiral diphosphine ligands with a bornene framework is described. The new ligands showed in Rh catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α- and β-enamides very high ee’s (more than 99%).     

Novel thiolated amino-alcohols as chiral ligands for copper-catalyzed asymmetric nitro-aldol reactions

Thiolated amino-alcohols have been synthesized and evaluated as a potential new class of chiral ligands for copper-catalyzed nitro-aldol reactions. The model nitro-aldol reaction took place smoothly at ambient temperature in the presence of catalytic amounts (5-15 mol %) of the ligands and copper(II) acetate to afford the nitro-aldol product in good to excellent yield without accompanying dehydration. Amino-alcohol ligands bearing N-(2-alkylthio)benzyl substituents provided only modest enantioselectivities (22-46% ee) while those carrying N-2-thienylmethyl substituents provided better enantioselectivities (up to 75% ee). A range of aromatic aldehydes were acceptable for the nitro-aldol reaction with nitromethane, giving moderate to good enantioselectivities (69-88% ee).     

New modular P-chiral ligands for Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation

New modular P-chiral ligands have been prepared from commercially available (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol. With these new types of ligands, up to 95% ee was achieved in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized olefins.