A practical concept for the kinetic resolution of a chiral secondary alcohol based on a polymeric silane

The paper describes our preliminary studies on the use of PMHS as a functionalizable polymer and hydride source for the kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols via chiral Cu(I)-catalyzed dehydrogenative silylating process. The chiral phosphine that chelates the Cu metal center has little influence on the selectivity factor of the kinetic resolution. The use of a stereogenic silane appears to be a key requirement to reach enantiodifferentiation in such a process.