Solvent effects on the diastereoselection in LiAlH4 reduction of α-substituted ketones

Based on high-level DFT calculations including solvent molecules, it was found that steric effects of solvent may be responsible for the diastereoselection in LiAlH₄ reduction of acyclic ketones substituted by an oxygen-containing functional group at the α-position to the carbonyl. It was concluded that the conventional chelated transition state models lead to the predominance of the R^∗,S^∗-diastereoisomers against experimental observation.     

Enantioselective reduction of aliphatic ketones using NaBH4 and TarB-NO2, a chiral boronic ester

High enantioselectivities are obtained using a tartaric acid-derived boronic ester (TarB-NO₂) in combination with NaBH₄ for the asymmetric reduction of aliphatic ketones. The resulting alcohols are obtained in enantiomeric excesses ranging from 56% to 94%.     

Mild reduction of α-halo ketones to ketones promoted by PI3 or P2I4

PI₃ and P₂I₄ clearly reduce α-bromo and α-iodo ketones     

Investigations on the solid state interaction between LiAlH4 and NaNH2

In this paper, two LiAlH₄-NaNH₂ samples with LiAlH₄ to NaNH₂ molar ratio of 1/2 and 2/1 were investigated, respectively. It was observed that both samples evolved 2 equiv H₂ in the ball milling process, however, the reaction pathways were different. For the LiAlH₄-NaNH₂ (1/2) sample, Li₃Na(NH₂)₄ and NaAlH₄ were formed through cation exchange between reactants. The NaAlH₄ formed further reacts with Li₃Na(NH₂)₄ and NaNH₂ to give H₂, NaH and LiAlN₂H₂. For the LiAlH₄-NaNH₂ (2/1) sample, Li₃Na(NH₂)₄, LiNH₂ and NaAlH₄ were formed firstly through the same cation exchange process. The resulting LiNH₂ reacts with the remaining LiAlH₄ and produces H₂ and Li₂AlNH₂.     

Asymmetric reduction of ketones with sodium aluminum hydride modified with chiral amino alcohols

Asymmetric reduction of ketones with hydride complexes, which were prepared by in situ modification of NaAlH₄, with various chiral amino alcohols or diamines, was studied. The highest enantioselectivity (up to 93% ee) was achieved using 2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)pyrrolidine as a chiral inducing agent.     

WCl6/LiAlH4 Promoted transformation of imines into secondary and tertiary amines

The reaction of WCl₆/LiAlH₄ with imines, R′NCHR, gave tertiary amines, R′N(CH₂R)₂, and secondary amines, R′NHCHRCH₂R. Isotope labeling experiments revealed that the reaction involved two types of azatungstenacyclobutanes, $\text{WNR′CHRC}$HR and $\text{WCHRNR′C}$HR, produced from the reaction of an alkylidene tungsten intermediate with the imine CN double bond. Formation of these metallacyclobutanes is highly dependent on the solvent used.     

Solid-state Al NMR investigation of thermal decomposition of LiAlH4

Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance is used to study the thermal decomposition of lithium tetrahydroaluminate into metallic aluminum, hydrogen and trilithium hexahydroaluminate. Aluminum sites in LiAlH₄ and Li₃AlH₆ were characterized using static, magic angle spinning (MAS) and multiple-quantum MAS NMR. By applying the in situ NMR method, it has been demonstrated that melting is not a prerequisite for the decomposition of LiAlH₄. Based on the observed data, a decomposition path has been established that is consistent with the concentrations of observed Al species at various stages of the thermally induced reaction.     

Asymmetric reduction of ketones with sodium aluminum hydride modified by various chiral diols

New stereoselective reducing reagents were preparedin situ by modification of NaAlH₄ with various chiral diols. The efficiency of 1,4- and 1,3-diols as chiral auxiliaries in the reactions of alkyl aryl ketones with modified NaAlH₄ was considerably higher than that of 1,2-diols. The effect of the nature of the achiral ligand additionally introduced into the chiral hydride reagent on the enantioselectivity of ketone reduction was studied. It was proposed that the sodium cation does not necessarily participate at the stage governing the reaction stereochemistry. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp 459–464, March, 2000.     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones with polymer-supported chiral 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine

[reaction: see text] A poly(ethylene glycol)-supported chiral diamine (PEG-2), in which the polymer is attached to the phenyl rings, has been synthesized and shown to be highly effective in asymmetric hydrogenation of unfunctionalized aromatic ketones with the possibility of reuse. PEG-2 can also serve as a chiral scaffold on which various immobilized chiral catalysts could be easily built.     

Direct reductive amination and selective 1,2-reduction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones by NaBH4 using H3PW12O40 as catalyst

A simple and convenient procedure for direct reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones with sodium borohydride is described. The reaction has been carried out in methanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ (0.5 mol %). α,β-Unsaturated aldehydes and ketones can be easily converted into the corresponding allyl alcohols by reaction with H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ (0.5 mol %)/NaBH₄.     

Reduction des alcoylidene-malonates et -cyanacetates par les complexes LiAlH4/aminoalcools chiraux

The reduction of alkylidenemalononitriles by Cervinka's reagent (LiAlH₄ complexes of chiral amino alcohols) yields the same asymmetric induction as the reduction of ketones. But the reduction by these same reagents of the Z and E isomers of alkylidenecyanoacetic esters gives opposite induction. These last results suggest the formation of an intermediate complex between the electrophilic reagent, the hydride and the chiral amino alcohol. ab]La réduction de l'alcoylidène malononitrile par les réactifs LiAlH₄/aminoalcools chiraux suit la correlation empirique établie par Cervinka pour la réduction des cétones. L'induction asymétrique de sens opposé obtenue pour la réduction des deux isomères Z et E de l'alcoylidène cyanacétate indique une complexation entre l'hydrure et le réactif électrophile.     

A STUDY ON THE SELECTIVE REDUCTION OF AROMATIC AMIDE WITH LiAlH_4

In the synthesis of l-phenyl-5-substituted amino-4-pyrazole N-alkyl amide,it was found for the first time that one of the two aromatic amido groups in the moleculeof 1-phenyl-5-benzoyl amino-4-pyrazole N-alkyl amide was reduced selectively by LiAlH_4.new conclusion was drawn after several experiments have been done that ortho-amino(orsubstituted amino)aryl amide or the aryl amide with its ortho substituent which canbe reduced into an amino group(or substituted amino group)can not be reduced by LiAlH_4.It was further rationalized by quantum chemical calculation.     

Synthesis of 1,2-disubstitued benzimidazoles using SiO2/ZnCl2

A general and easy method for the synthesis of several 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles using SiO₂/ZnCl₂ and solvent-free conditions is described. This efficient and improved method furnishes selectively and in good yields the corresponding 1,2-bis(organyl)-benzimidazoles starting from o-phenylenediamine and aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes. The catalytic system was re-used up three times and the use of focused microwaves accelerates the reaction.     

Catalytic asymmetric borane reduction of prochiral ketones using chiral camphor-derived mercapto-alcohols

Easily available D-(+)-camphor-derived chiral mercapto-alcohols 2 and 3 were employed for catalytic asymmetric borane reduction of aromatic ketones. Moderate enantioselectivities with e.e. 20.2-72.1% were obtained with 10 mol% catalyst. Opposite asymmetric induction was achieved when mercapto-alcohols 2 and 3 were used.     

Asymmetric reduction of perfluoroalkyl ketones with chiral lithium alkoxides

Reduction of perfluoroalkyl ketones with chiral lithium alkoxides gave chiral α-perfluoroalkyl alcohols in high enantiomeric excesses. Interestingly, reaction of 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone (1) with lithium (S)-1-phenylethoxide (2) gave (S)-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-phenylethanol (3), while the same reaction of perfluorooctan-1-one (7) with 2 gave (R)-1H-1-phenylperfluorooctanol (8). Based on the speculation of mechanism, the order of steric effects on this reaction is estimated as C₇F₁₅ > substituted phenyl > CF₃.     

The influence of lithium complexing agents on the regioselectivity of reductions of substituted 2-cyclohexenones by LiAlH4 and LiBH4

A reversal of regioselectivity of LiAlH₄ or LiBH₄ reduction of 2-cyclohexenone induced by addition of [2.1.1]-cryptand to the reaction medium is accompanied by a rate decrease. In the absence of the cryptand, carbonyl attack predominates (C₁:C₃ = 86:14 with LiAlH₄ in THF). In the presence of the cryptand, double bond attack is favoured (C₁:C₃= 14:86). This effect is larger with LiAlH₄ than with LiBH₄. This trend is general in the case of five substituted 2-cyclohexenones. Using 12-crown-4 as a Li⁺ coordinator, a change in regioselectivity occurs but it is less pronounced than with the cryptand.