Asymmetric hydrogenation DuPhos analogue

In 2006, Berens et al. reported the synthesis of novel benzothiophene-based DuPHOS analogues, which gave excellent levels of enantioselectivity when applied as the ligands to the asymmetric rhodium-catalysed hydrogenation of various olefins, such as dehydroamino acid derivatives, enamides and itaco-nates (Scheme 8.10). ... 

Since the diphosphine is appreciably more electron-rich than is BINAP, the major ruthenium complex is a more active hydrogenation catalyst than the parent. Increased electron-rich ligation may be the reason for the success of heterocyclic analogues of BINAP in which the binaphthalene is replaced by a bi(ben-zothiophene) or biindolyl the resulting Ru complexes are effective both in terms of enantioselectivity and reactivity [139]. Readers of the related Chapter 6.1 on the asymmetric hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds will encounter the Ru complexes of ligands in the DUPHOS family, where the ease of modification of the alkyl substituents of the phospholane enhances the power of the system, since it permits the easy optimization of ee for any substrate [140]. 

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