Asymmetric Isomerization of Other Olefinic Substrates

One of the landmark achievements in the area of enantioselective catalysis has been the development of a large-scale commercial application of the Rh(I)/BINAP-catalyzed asymmetric isomerization of allylic amines to enamines. Unfortunately, methods for the isomerization of other families of olefins have not yet reached a comparable level of sophistication. However, since the early 1990s promising catalyst systems have been described for enantioselective isomerizations of allylic alcohols and aUylic ethers. In view of the utility of catalytic asymmetric olefin isomerization reactions, I have no doubt that the coming years will witness additional exciting progress in the development of highly effective catalysts for these and related substrates. 

On the other hand, the addition of a quaternary ammonium salt to the reaction medium accelerates the isomerization of the radical intermediate [36]. Thus, the epoxidation of c/j-stilbene in the presence of A -benzylquinine salt gives rranr-stilbene oxide with 90% ee as major product (Table 6B.1, entry 24). This protocol provides an effective method for the synthesis of trans-epoxides. In contrast to the epoxidation of c/s-di- and tri-substituted olefins for which complexes 11-13 are the catalysts of choice, the best catalyst for the epoxidation of tetra-substituted conjugated olefins varies with substrates (Table 6B.1, entries 27 and 28) [37]. The asymmetric epoxidation of 6-bromo-2,2,3,4-tetramethylchromene is well-promoted by complex 14 and that of 2-methyl-3-phenylindene, by complex 12a. 

---