Mixtures of chiral and achiral monodentate ligands in asymmetric Rh-catalyzed olefin hydrogenation: reversal of enantioselectivity

The recently described method of combinatorial asymmetric transition metal catalysis based on the use of mixtures of chiral monodentate P-ligands has been extended to include mixtures of chiral and achiral monodentate P-ligands, reversal of enantioselectivity in Rh-catalyzed olefin hydrogenation being possible in appropriate cases.     

Increased enantioselectivity in the addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde by the use of chiral ligands containing the alpha-phenylethylamino group in combination with achiral ligands

Chiral ligands (S,S)-1, (S,S)-2, (S,S)-3, (S)-4, (S)-5, (S,S)-6, (S,S)-7, and (S,S)-8 turned out to be effective promoters in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde. Interestingly, diamine (S,S)-3 and amino alcohols (S)-5 and (S,S)-7 induce the preferential formation of carbinol (R)-10 (unlike stereoinduction) whereas amido analogues (S,S)-2, (S)-4, and (S,S)-6 favor (S)-10 (like stereoinduction). Molecular modeling at the semiempirical PM3 level provided a reasonable interpretation based on conformational effects in the corresponding transition structures. Combinations of chiral ligands 1-8 with an achiral, flexible ligand (9) gave rise to an activated catalytic system that resulted in faster and higher yielding reactions. Furthermore, substantial increases in the observed enantiomeric excesses of product 10 confirmed the relevant role of achiral bis(sulfonamide) 9 as activator and "chiral environment amplifier".     

Reversal of enantioselectivity in the asymmetric rhodium- versus iridium-catalyzed hydroboration of meso substrates

The Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydroboration of bicyclic hydrazines with ee and chemical yields up to 64% is reported. The switch from rhodium to iridium leads systematically to opposite enantiomers in this desymmetrization reaction.     

Phosphine-phosphite ligands: chelate ring size vs. activity and enantioselectivity relationships in asymmetric hydrogenation

A series of new phosphine-phosphite ligands P(C)(n)OP (n = 1-4) have been synthesized and used for rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral olefins in order to study the effect of the chelate ring size. Excellent ees (up to 97.5%) were obtained in the hydrogenation of dimethyl itaconate and an increase of activity and enantioselectivity was observed in the hydrogenation of (Z)-α-acetamidocinnamic acid methyl ester with the increasing length of the backbone of the ligands.     

Enhanced anti-diastereo- and enantioselectivity in alcohol-mediated carbonyl crotylation using an isolable single component iridium catalyst

The cyclometalated iridium complex (S)-I derived from [Ir(cod)Cl](2), 4-cyano-3-nitrobenzoic acid, allyl acetate, and (S)-SEGPHOS is conveniently isolated by precipitation or through conventional silica gel flash chromatography. This single-component precatalyst allows alcohol mediated carbonyl crotylations to be performed at significantly lower temperature, resulting in enhanced levels of anti-diastereo- and enantioselectivity. Most significantly, the chromatographically isolated precatalyst (S)-I enables carbonyl crotylations that are not possible under previously reported conditions involving in situ generation of (S)-I.     

"Chiral-at-Metal" octahedral ruthenium(II) complexes with achiral ligands: a new type of enantioselective catalyst

cis-[Ru(dmp)(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)][PF(6)](2) (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline), complex 1[PF(6)](2), exists in two enantiomeric forms, Delta and Lambda. During treatment with the chiral anion tris[tetrachlorobenzene-1,2-bis(olato)]phosphate(V), also named Trisphat, in dichloromethane it has been possible to selectively precipitate each enantiomer, associated with Trisphat in the form of the heterochiral pair. This enantiomerically pure compound has been characterized in solution by UV-visible, CD, ESI-MS, and NMR spectroscopy and by X-ray crystallography in the solid state. Trisphat was also used as an NMR chiral shift reagent to determine the enantiomeric excess of the complex preparations. The "chiral-at-metal" ruthenium complex has been evaluated as a catalyst for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides by hydrogen peroxide. The reactions displayed a low but significant level of enantioselectivity (18% ee in the case of 4-bromophenyl methyl sulfide). Our results thus provide the first demonstration that the chiral information carried by a stereogenic metal center can be catalytically transferred to molecules during stereoselective oxidation.     

Recent advances of achiral and chiral diene ligands in transition-metal catalyses

A series of achiral and chiral diene and the related ligands in transition-metal complexes is evaluated by percent buried volume (%V_bur) based on their molecular structures by X-ray analysis. Steric bulk of cyclic diene ligands in [Ru(acac)₂L] and [RhClL]₂ are sorted in the order of %V_bur. Recent developments on transition-metal catalyses using these ligands such as (i) conjugate arylations, alkenylation, and alkynylation, (ii) imine-arylations and alkenylations, (iii) kinetic resolutions, (iv) allylation, (v) cyclizations, (vi) defluorinations, (vii) CH bond activations, and (viii) cross-dimerizations are reviewed.     

Enhanced catalyst activity and enantioselectivity with chirality-switchable polymer ligand PQXphos in Pd-catalyzed asymmetric silaborative cleavage of meso-methylenecyclopropanes

The poly(quinoxaline-2,3-diyl)-based helically chiral phosphine ligands PQXphos exhibited high enantioselectivities up to 97% ee in palladium-catalyzed desymmetrization of meso-1,2-dialkylsubstituted-3-methylenecyclopropanes through silaborative cleavage of the C-C bond. The observed enantioselectivities were higher than those obtained with 2-diarylphosphino-1,1'-binaphthyl in our original report. Remarkable rate enhancement was also observed with a series of PQXphos in comparison with the corresponding low-molecular weight ligands.     

Asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis using heterobimetallic catalysts obtained from titanium and vanadium complexes of chiral and achiral salen ligands

Titanium(IV)(salen) and vanadium(V)(salen) complexes are both known to form catalysts for asymmetric cyanohydrin synthesis. When a mixture of titanium and vanadium complexes derived from the same or different salen ligands is used for the asymmetric addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to benzaldehyde, the absolute configuration of the product and level of asymmetric induction can only be explained by in situ formation of a catalytically active heterobimetallic complex, and is not consistent with two monometallic species acting cooperatively. Combined use of complexes containing chiral and achiral salen ligands demonstrates that during the asymmetry inducing step of the mechanism, the aldehyde is coordinated to the vanadium rather than the titanium ion. The titanium complexes also catalyse the asymmetric addition of ethyl cyanoformate to aldehydes, a reaction in which vanadium(V)(salen) complexes are not active. For this reaction, use of a mixture of titanium and vanadium(salen) complexes results in a complete loss of catalytic activity, a result which again can only be explained by in situ formation of a heterometallic complex. Both the titanium and vanadium based catalysts also induce the asymmetric addition of potassium cyanide/acetic anhydride to aldehydes. For this reaction, combined use of chiral and achiral complexes indicates that during the asymmetry inducing step of the mechanism, the aldehyde is coordinated to titanium rather than vanadium, a result which contrasts with the observed results when trimethylsilyl cyanide is used as the cyanide source.     

Unexpected reversal of the enantioselectivity using chiral quinolylmethyl- and acridininyloxazolines as ligands for asymmetric palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

New chiral quinolylmethyloxazolines and acridininyloxazolines were prepared and assessed in the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl acetate with dimethyl malonate. The introduction of a benzo-fused substituent on the pyridine ring not containing the chiral backbone resulted in the switch of the expected chiral sense of enantioselection of the reaction. Enantiomeric excesses up to 78% were obtained.     

Small amounts of achiral beta-amino alcohols reverse the enantioselectivity of chiral catalysts in cooperative asymmetric autocatalysis

An asymmetric autocatalytic reaction has been catalyzed by a mixture of chiral and achiral beta-amino alcohols. The absolute configuration of the highly enantioenriched obtained product (>98% ee) was shown to depend not only on the absolute configuration of the chiral catalyst but also on the structure and the amount of achiral catalyst. Even in default versus the chiral catalyst, achiral catalysts were shown to be able to reverse the enantioselectivity of the reaction.     

表面活性剂对脂肪酶活性和选择性的影响

考察了几种表面活性剂对lipaseOF粗酶和纯化酶催化拆分酮基布洛芬的影响。除吐温-80,吐温-60和壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚外,大部分表面活性剂对酶活性有抑制作用,其中只有吐温-80能显著提高酶的立体选择性。酶的活性和选择性与表面活性剂浓度有关。在表面活性剂浓度为最佳(20mg/mL吐温-80或30mg/mL壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚)时lipaseOF粗酶的活性可分别提高13和15倍。加入80mg/mL吐温-80,粗酶和纯化酶的对映体选择率(E值)分别由1.1和8.0增至6.7和>100。     

Directed evolution of hybrid enzymes: Evolving enantioselectivity of an achiral Rh-complex anchored to a protein

The concept of utilizing the methods of directed evolution for tuning the enantioselectivity of synthetic achiral metal-ligand centers anchored to proteins has been implemented experimentally for the first time.     

Pd-catalysed methoxycarbonylation of vinylarenes using chiral monodentate phosphetanes and phospholane as ligands. Effect of substrate substituents on enantioselectivity

Palladium complexes bearing phospholane 1 and phosphetane 2-4 ligands have been synthesised to be used as catalyst precursors in the asymmetric methoxycarbonylation of vinyl arenes. Single crystals of the complex [PdCl2(2)2] II were obtained from a toluene solution and analysed by X-ray crystallography. Using these complexes, excellent regioselectivity (up to 99%) to the branched esters was obtained. Phosphetane ligands provide higher enantioselectivity than the phospholane under the same reaction conditions and an important influence of the substrate was observed. Enantioselectivity up to 50% was obtained using 4-methoxystyrene.     

Desymmetrization of meso 1,3- and 1,4-diols with a dinuclear zinc asymmetric catalyst

A dinuclear asymmetric zinc catalyst generated by mixing a 2:1 ratio of diethylzinc and 2,6-bis[5-2-diarylhydroxy methyl-1-pyrrolidinyl]-4-methylphenol has been contrasted with enzymes for the desymmetrization of some meso diols. The best ligand has a p-biphenylyl group as the aromatic substituent defining the chiral space. A series of 2-substituted propanediols were examined. The best acyl transfer agent proved to be vinyl benzoate. Diacylation normally did not occur. The phenyl substituted substrate gave 91-95% ee which compares favorably with the best ee of 92% reported for an enzymatic desymmetrization. The methyl substituted substrate gave significantly better results with the dinuclear zinc catalyst (89% yield, 82% ee) as compared to the best enzymatic esterification (70% yield, 60% ee). One case of a 1,4-diol, cis-1,2-bis(hydroxymethyl) cyclohexane, also gave much better results with the dinuclear zinc catalysts (93% yield, 91% ee) as compared to the reported enzymatic process (44% yield, 7% ee). A model to rationalize the results is presented.     

Ruthenium hydride complexes of chiral and achiral diphosphazane ligands and asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reactions

The half-sandwhich ruthenium chloro complexes bearing chelated diphosphazane ligands, [(η⁵-Cp)RuCl{κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}] [R = C₆H₃Me₂-2,6] (1) and [(η⁵-Cp^∗)RuCl{κ²-P,P-X₂PN(R)PYY′}] [R = Me, X = Y = Y′ = OC₆H₅ (2); R = CHMe₂, X₂ = C₂₀H₁₂O₂, Y = Y′ = OC₆H₅ (3) or OC₆H₄^tBu-4 (4)] have been prepared by the reaction of CpRu(PPh₃)₂Cl with (RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂ [R = C₆H₃Me₂-2,6 (L¹)] or by the reaction of [Cp^∗RuCl₂]_n with X₂PN(R)PYY′ in the presence of zinc dust. Among the four diastereomers (two enantiomeric pairs) possible for the “chiral at metal” complexes 3 and 4, only two diastereomers (one enantiomeric pair) are formed in these reactions. The complexes 1, 2, 4 and [(η⁵-Cp)RuCl{κ²-P,P-Ph₂PN((S)-^∗CHMePh)PPhY}] [Y = Ph (5) or N₂C₃HMe₂-3,5 (S_CS_PR_Ru)-(6)] react with NaOMe to give the corresponding hydride complexes [(η⁵-Cp)RuH{κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}] (7), [(η⁵-Cp^∗)RuH{κ²-P,P′-X₂PN(R)PY₂}] [R = Me, X = Y = OC₆H₅ (8); R = CHMe₂, X₂ = C₂₀H₁₂O₂, Y = OC₆H₄^tBu-4 (9)] and [(η⁵-Cp)RuH{κ²-P,P-Ph₂PN((S)-^∗CHMePh)PPhY}][Y = Ph (10) or N₂C₃HMe₂-3,5 (S_CS_PR_Ru)-(11a) and (S_CS_PS_Ru)-(11b)]. Only one enantiomeric pair of the hydride 9 is obtained from the chloro precursor 4 that bears sterically bulky substituents at the phosphorus centers. On the other hand, the optically pure trichiral complex 6 that bears sterically less bulky substituents at the phosphorus gives a mixture of two diastereomers (11a and 11b). Protonation of complex 7 using different acids (HX) gives a mixture of [(η⁵-Cp)Ru(η²-H₂){κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}]X (12a) and [(η⁵-Cp)Ru(H)₂{κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}]X (12b) of which 12a is the major product independent of the acid used; the dihydrogen nature of 12a is established by T₁ measurements and also by synthesizing the deuteride analogue 7-D followed by protonation to obtain the D-H isotopomer. Preliminary investigations on asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of 2-acetonaphthone in the presence of a series of chiral diphosphazane ligands show that diphosphazanes in which the phosphorus centers are strong π-acceptor in character and bear sterically bulky substituents impart moderate levels of enantioselectivity. Attempts to identify the hydride intermediate involved in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation by a model reaction suggests that a complex of the type, [Ru(H)(Cl){κ²-P,P-X₂PN(R)PY₂}(solvent)₂] could be the active species in this transformation.     

Charged ligands for catalyst immobilisation and analysis

Ligands involved in organometallic chemistry have been functionalised at locations somewhat removed from the binding site for diverse reasons, including modification of electronic and steric characteristics, improving solubility, to confer chirality, to add a spectroscopic "handle", to facilitate electron-transfer processes or for spin-labelling. Here, the focus is specifically on catalytically active metal complexes in which a charged or highly polar group has been appended to the periphery of one or more of the ligands. For the most part, the motivation has been to alter the solubility properties of the catalytic metal complex to which it is attached, for the purposes of immobilisation in another phase (water, ionic liquids, etc.) and improvement of the green credentials of the process. However, other uses are also becoming recognised, for example to aid in situ analysis of catalysts by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry.