Asymmetric Reduction of Prochiral Ketimines

In contrast to the numerous known asymmetric ketone reductions, only limited success has been achieved in the reduction of ketimines. This is due to the low elec-trophilicity of the imine carbon and rapid equilibrium between the E and Z isomers [80]. In addition, most chiral Lewis acids, including OABs, are trapped by the basic nitrogen atoms of imines and/or product amines, leading to a decreased catalytic effect. 

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The enantioselective synthesis of optically active secondary amines via asymmetric reduction of prochiral ketimines was studied by screening various chiral hydrides. In this case, K-glucoride gave only disappointing results and was inferior to other reagents. Better results were obtained in the asymmetric reduction of prochiral Af-diphenylphosphinylimines to chiral N-(diphenylphosphinyl)amines (eq 1), which can then be readily converted into optically active primary amines. For this reaction the stereochemical course depends dramatically on the relative bulkiness of the groups R and R. The reaction conditions for reduction of C=N double bonds are the same as used for ketones, but the high reactivity of diphenylphosphinylimines dramatically reduces the reaction time. 

The reduction of different carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom double bonds is an important transformation that generates in many cases new stereogenic centers. Particularly, the asymmetric reduction of prochiral ketimines represents one of the most important methods and straightforward procedures for preparing chiral amines. This approach is one of the key reactions and powerfiil tools in synthetic organic... 

All effective catalysts for the asymmetric reduction of prochiral C=N groups are based on complexes of rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and titanium. Whereas in early investigations (before 1984) emphasis was on Rh and Ru catalysts, most recent efforts were devoted to Ir and Ti catalysts. In contrast to the noble metal catalysts which are classical coordination complexes, Buchwald s a sa-titanocene catalyst for the enantioselective hydrogenation of ketimines represents a new type of hydrogenation catalyst [6]. In this chapter important results and characteristics of effective enantioselective catalysts and are summarized. 

Asymmetric reduction of ketimines to sec-aminesf Of the various hydride reagents found to achieve high enantioselective reduction of ketones, the oxazaborolidine 1 of Itsuno, prepared from BH3 and (S)-(—)-2-amino-3-methyl-I,l-diphenylbutane-l-ol, derived from (S)-valine, (12,31), is the most effective in terms of asymmetric induction. Like Corey s oxazaborolidines derived from (S)-proline, 1 can also be used in catalytic amounts. The highest enantioselectivities obtain in reduction of N-phenylimines of aromatic ketones (as high as 88% ee). The enantioselectivities are lower in the case of N-t-butylimines of aryl ketones (80% ee). Reduction of N-phenylimines of prochiral dialkyl ketones with 1 results in 10-25% ees. 

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