Highly efficient and recyclable heterogeneous asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones in water

A highly efficient heterogeneous asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones in water was developed for the first time, which exhibited excellent enantioselectivities, distinct acceleration effect and remarkably high recyclabilities.     

Enantioswitchable catalysts for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aryl alkyl ketones

A subtle change in the ligand structure, replacing the carbonyl oxygen with sulfur in simple alpha-amino acid amides, resulted in a dramatic activity and selectivity improvement in the rhodium- or ruthenium-catalyzed reduction of ketones under hydrogen transfer conditions. In addition, in most cases, a switch of the product's absolute configuration was observed on going from amides to the corresponding thioamides. Under optimized conditions, we obtained the secondary alcohol products in high yield and enantioselectivity (up to 97% ee) using only 0.25 mol % catalyst loading. [structure: see text]     

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation over Ru-TsDPEN catalysts supported on siliceous mesocellular foam

A siliceous mesocellular foam-immobilized Ru-TsDPEN complex exhibited excellent catalytic reactivity, enantioselectivity and reusability in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of an imine and ketones.     

Manganese catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones

The asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of a wide range of ketones catalyzed by manganese complex as well as chiral P_xN_y-type ligand under mild conditions was investigated. Using 2-propanol as hydrogen source, various ketones could be enantioselectively hydrogenated by combining cheap, readily available [MnBr(CO)₅] with chiral, 22-membered macrocyclic ligand (R,R,R',R')-CyP₂N₄ (L5) with 2 mol% of catalyst loading, affording highly valuable chiral alcohols with up to 95% ee.     

Highly efficient catalysts derived from planar chiral ferrocenes for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Planar chiral ferrocenes 1 and its diastereoisomer 2 were found to be good lig-ands for the ruthenium catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones with i-PrOH as hydrogen source under refluxing in the presence of sodium hydroxide. The results showed that the absolute configuration of alcohol seemed to be governed by the central chirality in the oxazoline ring instead of the planar chirality. At a ratio of 1:2 for Ru:ligand, 3000:1 S/C and >100,000/h-1 TOF were observed for acetophenone. For propiophenone 99% yield and 85% e.e. were obtained     

"Tethered" Ru(II) catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Stereochemically well-defined ruthenium(II) catalysts have been applied to the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of a series of ketones. In one case, statistical experimental design was employed to optimize the enantiomeric excess of the product. In the case of the TsDPEN-based systems, the replacement of trans-1,2-diphenyl substitution with cis-, or deletion of one of the phenyl groups, results in significant deterioration of the enantiomeric excess. A new method is described for the synthesis of tethered amino alcohol-containing catalysts.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones in ethanol

A ruthenium catalyst formed in situ by combining [Ru(p-cymene)Cl₂]₂ and an amino acid hydroxy-amide was found to catalyze efficiently the asymmetric reduction of aryl alkyl ketones under transfer hydrogenation conditions using ethanol as the hydrogen donor. The secondary alcohol products were obtained in moderate to good yields and with good to excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97% ee).     

Catalytic asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones using terpene-based chiral β-amino alcohols

Catalytic asymmetric transfer hydrogenations of aromatic alkyl ketones have been studied using [RuCl₂(p-cymeme)]₂ and terpene-based β-amino alcohols. The limonene derived amino alcohol, (1S,2S,4R)-1-methyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)-2-(methylamino)cyclohexanol gave the most promising results. Chiral secondary alcohols were obtained in good to excellent yields and moderate enantioselectivities (up to 71%).     

Osmium pyme complexes for fast hydrogenation and asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones

The osmium compound trans,cis-[OsCl2(PPh3)2(Pyme)] (1) (Pyme=1-(pyridin-2-yl)methanamine), obtained from [OsCl2(PPh3)3] and Pyme, thermally isomerizes to cis,cis-[OsCl2(PPh3)(2)(Pyme)] (2) in mesitylene at 150 degrees C. Reaction of [OsCl2(PPh3)3] with Ph2P(CH2)(4)PPh2 (dppb) and Pyme in mesitylene (150 degrees C, 4 h) leads to a mixture of trans-[OsCl2(dppb)(Pyme)] (3) and cis-[OsCl2(dppb)(Pyme)] (4) in about an 1:3 molar ratio. The complex trans-[OsCl2(dppb)(Pyet)] (5) (Pyet=2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethanamine) is formed by reaction of [OsCl2(PPh3)3] with dppb and Pyet in toluene at reflux. Compounds 1, 2, 5 and the mixture of isomers 3/4 efficiently catalyze the transfer hydrogenation (TH) of different ketones in refluxing 2-propanol and in the presence of NaOiPr (2.0 mol %). Interestingly, 3/4 has been proven to reduce different ketones (even bulky) by means of TH with a remarkably high turnover frequency (TOF up to 5.7 x 10(5) h(-1)) and at very low loading (0.05-0.001 mol %). The system 3/4 also efficiently catalyzes the hydrogenation of many ketones (H2, 5.0 atm) in ethanol with KOtBu (2.0 mol %) at 70 degrees C (TOF up to 1.5 x 10(4) h(-1)). The in-situ-generated catalysts prepared by the reaction of [OsCl2(PPh3)3] with Josiphos diphosphanes and (+/-)-1-alkyl-substituted Pyme ligands, promote the enantioselective TH of different ketones with 91-96 % ee (ee=enantiomeric excess) and with a TOF of up to 1.9 x 10(4) h(-1) at 60 degrees C.     

Novel recoverable catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

9-Amino(9-deoxy)epiquinine and 9-amino(9-deoxy)epicinchonine were applied in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in both iridium and rhodium catalytic systems using i-propanol as the hydrogen source. Good to excellent conversions and enantioselectivities were observed with a variety of aromatic ketones. Moreover, the Ir complex and Rh complex of 9-amino(9-deoxy)cinchonine were recovered in high yields with dilute hydrochloric acid. The enantioselectivity of 1-phenylethanol was nearly maintained after six cycles.     

Efficient and promising asymmetric preparation of enantiopure tolvaptan via transfer hydrogenation with robust catalysts

Enantiopure tolvaptan, the first and only oral vasopressin antagonist for hyponatremia has been prepared by using an asymmetric transfer hydrogenation as a key step with HCOOH–Et₃N or HCOONa–H₂O as the hydrogen donor in open air. Good chemical yields with up to 99% enantioselectivity were obtained with a 1000:1 of S/C in an HCOONa–H₂O system. The air and water stable catalysts provide a very promising prospect for industrial application.     

Multiple dendritic catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The first and second generation multiple dendritic ligands based on chiral diamine were synthesized in a convergent approach and were well-characterized by NMR and MS techniques. Their ruthenium complexes prepared in situ had good solubility in the reaction medium (azeotrope of formic acid and triethylamine) and demonstrated high catalytic activity and enantioselectivity comparable to monomeric catalysts in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines. Quantitative yields and for some cases a slightly higher enantioselectivity (up to 98.7% ee) were obtained in the dendritic catalysis. Considering the high local catalyst concentrations at the periphery, diones were tested for the possible synergic reactivity between catalytic units at the surface, while no apparent differences were noted.     

Iron nanoparticles catalyzing the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Investigation into the mechanism of transfer hydrogenation using trans-[Fe(NCMe)CO(PPh(2)C(6)H(4)CH═NCHR-)(2)][BF(4)](2), where R = H (1) or R = Ph (2) (from R,R-dpen), has led to strong evidence that the active species in catalysis are iron(0) nanoparticles (Fe NPs) functionalized with achiral (with 1) and chiral (with 2) PNNP-type tetradentate ligands. Support for this proposition is given in terms of in operando techniques such as a kinetic investigation of the induction period during catalysis as well as poisoning experiments using substoichiometric amounts of various poisoning agents. Further support for the presence of Fe(0) NPs includes STEM microscopy imaging with EDX analysis, XPS analysis, and SQUID magnetometry analysis of catalytic solutions. Further evidence of Fe NPs acting as the active catalyst is given in terms of a polymer-supported substrate experiment whereby the NPs are too large to permeate the pores of a functionalized polymer. Final support is given in terms of a combined poisoning/STEM/EDX experiment whereby the poisoning agent is shown to be bound to the Fe NPs. This paper provides evidence of a rare example of asymmetric catalysis with nonprecious metal, zerovalent nanoparticles.     

Accelerated asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in water

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various simple aromatic ketones by the Ru-TsDPEN catalyst was shown to be feasible in aqueous HCOONa without calling for any catalyst modification, furnishing ee's of up to 95% and significantly faster rates than in the HCOOH-NEt(3) azeotrope.     

Biomimetic transfer hydrogenation of ketones with iron porphyrin catalysts

For the first time in situ generated iron porphyrins have been applied as homogeneous catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones. Using 2-propanol as hydrogen source various ketones are reduced to the corresponding alcohols in good to excellent yield and selectivity. Under optimized reaction conditions high catalyst turnover frequencies up to 642 h⁻¹ are achieved.     

Efficient transfer hydrogenation of ketones in the presence of ruthenium N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts

Novel ruthenium carbene complexes have been in situ generated and tested for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones. Applying Ru(cod)(methylallyl)₂ in the presence of imidazolium salts in 2-propanol and sodium-2-propanolate as base, turnover frequencies up to 346 h⁻¹ have been obtained for reduction of acetophenone. A comparative study involving ruthenium carbene and ruthenium phosphine complexes demonstrated the higher activity of ruthenium carbene complexes.     

Air-stable catalysts for highly efficient and enantioselective hydrogenation of aromatic ketones

A series of chiral trans-[RuCl(2)(dipyridylphosphine)(1,2-diamine)] complexes have been synthesized and characterized by NMR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. These Ru complexes combined with (CH(3))(3)COK in 2-propanol formed a very effective catalyst system for the hydrogenation of a diverse range of simple aromatic ketones with high activity (substrate-to-catalyst ratio up to 100 000) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99.9%). The catalyst system was also found to be stable in solution even under a normal atmosphere.     

The hydrogenation/transfer hydrogenation network: asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones with chiral eta6-arene/N-Tosylethylenediamine-ruthenium(II) catalysts

Chiral eta6-arene/N-tosylethylenediamine-Ru(II) complexes, known as excellent catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in basic 2-propanol, can be used for asymmetric hydrogenation using H2 gas. Active catalysts are generated from RuCl[(S,S)-TsNCH(C6H5)CH(C6H5)NH2](eta6-p-cymene) in methanol, but not 2-propanol, or by combination of Ru[(S,S)-TsNCH(C6H5)CH(C6H5)NH](eta6-p-cymene) and CF3SO3H or other non-nucleophilic acids. This method allows, for the first time, asymmetric hydrogenation of simple ketones under acidic conditions. Hydrogenation of base-sensitive 4-chromanone and its derivatives with the S,S catalyst proceeds in methanol with a substrate-to-catalyst molar ratio of 1000-3000 (10 atm) to 7000 (100 atm), giving (S)-4-chromanols with 97% ee quantitatively. The reaction can be achieved even on a 2.4 kg scale. The mechanistic rationale for the catalytic efficiency is presented.     

A soluble-polymer system for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones

The appropriate combination of methacrylate polymers permits the synthesis of a soluble polymer for use in ruthenium(II)-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reactions. Using a 7:3 copolymer of a poly(ethylene glycol) ester and a hydroxyethyl ester, a derived ruthenium(II)/norephedrine complex catalyses reduction of acetophenone in up to 95% yield and 81% ee.