Asymmetric hydrogenation reactions Subject

One of the success stories of transition metal catalysis is the rhodium-complex-catalyzed hydrogenation reaction. Asymmetric hydrogenation with a rhodium catalyst has been commercialized for the production of L-Dopa, and in 2001 the inventor, Knowles, together with Noyori and Sharpless, was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry. After the initial invention, (enantioselective) hydrogenation has been subject to intensive investigations (27). In general, hydrogenation reactions proceed... 

Despite fruitful results of asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized ketones, only limited examples have been reported for reaction of ketonic substrates with no functionality near the carbonyl group [1,162,254]. Transition-metal catalysts with a bidentate chiral phosphine, successfully used for functionalized ketones, are often ineffective for reduction of simple ketones in terms of reactivity and enantioselectivity [162b,c]. However, a breakthrough in this subject has been provided by the invention of a new chiral Ru catalyst system. 

Hydrogen bond-promoted asymmetric aldol reactions and related processes represent an emerging facet of asymmetric proton-catalyzed reactions, with the first examples appearing in 2005. Nonetheless, given their importance, these reactions have been the subject of investigation in several laboratories, and numerous advances have already been recorded. The substrate scope of such reactions already encompasses the use of enamines, silyl ketene acetals and vinylogous silyl ketene acetals as nucleophiles, and nitrosobenzene and aldehydes as electrophiles. 

The scientific interest in the L-DOPA process was further enhanced by the clear, detailed elucidation of the mechanism of the catalytic reaction (10). To this date, thousands of papers and patents have been published on the subject of catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation. 

There is no doubt that catalytic asymmetric synthesis has a significant advantage over the traditional diastereomeric resolution technology. However, it is important to note that for the asymmetric hydrogenation technology to be commercially useful, a low-cost route to the precursor olefins is just as crucial. The electrocarboxylation of methyl aryl ketone and the dehydration of the substituted lactic acids in Figures 5 and 6 are highly efficient. Excellent yields of the desired products can be achieved in each reaction. These processes are currently under active development. However, since the subjects of electrochemistry and catalytic dehydration are beyond the scope of this article, these reactions will be published later in a separate paper. 

Alkylrhodiums form from the reaction of Rh hydrides and alkenes. This reaction is important in hydrogenation, asymmetric hydrogenation, alkene isomerization and hydroformylation and other catalytic processes. The regiochemistry seen in this reaction is the subject of theoretical study that rationalizes the formation of the less substituted (T-alkyrhodium intermediate on electronic grounds Several Rh complexes form stable ff-alkylrhodiums on reaction of Rh hydrides with fluorinated alkenes (see Table 8) . 

Asymmetric Hydrogenation.— This important subject has been reviewed. Studies on the introduction of new chiral phosphine ligands for the reaction... 

The chiral auxiliaries anchored to the substrate, which is subjected to diastereoselective catalysis, is another factor that can control these reactions. These chiral auxiliaries should be easily removed after reduction without damaging the hydrogenated substrate. A representative example in this sense is given by Gallezot and coworkers [268], They used (-)mentoxyacetic acid and various (S)-proline derivates as chiral auxiliaries for the reduction of o-cresol and o-toluic acid on Rh/C. A successful use of proline derivates in asymmetric catalysis has also been reported by Harada and coworkers [269,270], The nature of the solvent only has a slight influence on the d.e. [271],... 

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