2-Arylacrylic acids, asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation

Asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation is one of the most efficient and convenient methods for preparing a wide range of enantiomerically pure compounds, and Ru-BINAP-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-arylacrylic acids has attracted a great deal of attention,11 as the chiral 2-arylpropionic acid products constitute an important class of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. 

Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation of 2-Arylacrylic Acids as a Low-Cost Route to Pharmaceutical Products... 

The homogeneous catalytic asymmetric hydrogenations of 2-arylacrylic acids have been studied. Both rhodium and ruthenium catalysts have been examined. The reaction temperatures and hydrogen pressures have profound effects on the optical yields of the the products. The presence of a tertiary amine such as triethylamine also significantly increases the product enantiomer excess. Commercially feasible processes for the production of naproxen and S-ibuprofen have been developed based on these reactions. 

Although the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenations of prochiral enamides have been extensively studied and excellent results have been frequently achieved, the catalytic asymmetric hydrogenations of 2-arylacrylic acids have been less successful. Until recently most catalyst systems gave only moderate optical yields for the 2-arylpropionic acid products (77). An important breakthrough in the study of these reactions was reported by Noyori et al. By using Ru(BINAP)(OAc)2 as a catalyst precursor, these researchers obtained excellent optical yields in the asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-(6 -methoxy-2 -naphthyl)acrylic acid (72). 

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