Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation in aqueous media catalyzed by resin-supported peptide having a polyleucine tether

A resin-supported N-terminal prolyl peptide having a β-turn motif and a polyleucine tether has been developed for the organocatalytic asymmetric transfer hydrogenation under aqueous conditions. Polyleucine accelerated the reaction in a highly enantioselective manner by providing a hydrophobic microenvironment around the prolyl residue. The investigation of catalyst structures indicates that the l-form of polyleucine is essential for both reaction efficiency and enantioselectivity.