Arene chromium tricarbonyl hydrogenation with

For monosubstituted arenes, kinetically controlled discrimination between the two enantiotopic ortho hydrogens of the planar chiral benzene chromium tricarbonyl complex leads to nonracemic products. Asymmetric lithiation is more efficient when one or more oxygen atoms, such as ether linkages, are present in the starting prochiral complex (Scheme 26.14). Treatment of Cr(CO)j-anisole complex 52 with the chiral lithium amide 53, in the presence of TMSCl under ISQ conditions, affords (+)-orfho-silylated complex 54 with good chemical yield and ee value [143-145]. The isobenzofuran system 55 reacts as well to give a-sUylated product 56 [146]. 

The control of stereochemistry with chromium carbine complexes has been reviewed. The DBR can create a new stereocenter in three ways. First, the arene tricarbonyl chromium complex contains a plane of chriality, thus the complexes 35 and ent-35 are enantiomers when RL Ri and RS R2. Second, when phenyl substituents are included in the reactants the resulting biaryls can posess axial chirality if there is hindered rotation about the new aryl-aryl bond as in 36. Finally, all DBRs with differentially p-disubstitued alkenes give rise to cyclohexadienones 37 with a new stereocenter adjacent to the carbonyl. When Ri and R2 are not hydrogen, tautomerization cannot occur and the final product possesses a chiral center. 

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