Chiral heterobimetallic catalysts

Based on acid-base combination chemistry, Shibasaki developed chiral heterobimetallic aluminium(m) lithium(i) bis(binaphtholate) (18), which can catalyse the enantioselective Michael reaction of cyclic enones with 

Continuing his work in this area, Shibasaki developed a one-pot sequential addition of sulfur ylide 28 to ketones and to the initially formed epoxides 

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The capability of L-proline - as a simple amino acid from the chiral pool - to act like an enzyme has been shown by List, Lemer und Barbas III [4] for one of the most important organic asymmetric transformations, namely the catalytic aldol reaction [5]. In addition, all the above-mentioned requirements have been fulfilled. In the described experiments the conversion of acetone with an aldehyde resulted in the formation of the desired aldol products in satisfying to very good yields and with enantioselectivities of up to 96% ee (Scheme 1) [4], It is noteworthy that, in a similar manner to enzymatic conversions with aldolases of type I or II, a direct asymmetric aldol reaction was achieved when using L-proline as a catalyst. Accordingly the use of enol derivatives of the ketone component is not necessary, that is, ketones (acting as donors) can be used directly without previous modification [6]. So far, most of the asymmetric catalytic aldol reactions with synthetic catalysts require the utilization of enol derivatives [5]. The first direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction in the presence of a chiral heterobimetallic catalyst has recently been reported by the Shibasaki group [7]. 

During the last decade Shibasaki and co-workers focussed on the application of rare earth metal catalysts with special properties [2]. More recently, impressive studies by this group revealed the broad applicability of chiral heterobimetallic catalysts based on rare earth metal alkoxide complexes in asymmetric catalysis. Whereas initial... 

Shibasaki M, Grdger H (1999) Chiral Heterobimetallic Lanthanoid Complexes Highly Efficient Multifunctional Catalysts for the Asymmetric Formation of C-C, C-O and C-P Bonds. 2 199-232... 

Shibasaki, M. and Groger, H. (1999) Chiral heterobimetallic lanthanoid complexes highly efficient multifunctional catalysts for the asymmetric formation of CC CO and CP bonds. Topics in Organometallic Chemistry, 2 (Lanthanides) 199-232. 

The first chiral aluminum catalyst for effecting asymmetric Michael addition reactions was reported by Shibasaki and coworkers in 1986 [82], The catalyst was prepared by addition of two equivalents of (i )-BINOL to lithium aluminum hydride which gave the heterobimetallic complex 394. The structure of 394 was supported by X-ray structure analysis of its complex with cyclohexenone in which it was found that the carbonyl oxygen of the enone is coordinated to the lithium. This catalyst was found to result in excellent induction in the Michael addition of malonic esters to cyclic enones, as indicated in Sch. 51. It had previously been reported that a heterobimetallic catalyst prepared from (i )-BINOL and sodium and lanthanum was also effective in similar Michael additions [83-85]. Although the LaNaBINOL catalyst was faster, the LiAlBINOL catalyst 394 (ALB) led to higher asymmetric induction. 

The heterobimetallic catalyst prepared from (R,R)-3-aza-benzyl-l,5-dihydroxy-l,5-diphenylpentane was used for the asymmetric Michael addition reaction of malo-nates and thiophenols to enones [49]. The polymer-supported version of the chiral... 

In 1992, Shibasaki et al. [8] reported for the first time on the use of recently developed chiral heterobimetallic lanthanoid complexes (LnLB) as chiral catalysts in the catalytic asymmetric Henry reaction (Scheme 1). In the following sections, this efficient concept of an asymmetric nitroaldol reaction, its scope and limitations, and its applications to complex stereoselective synthetic topics are described. 

In conclusion, chiral heterobimetallic lanthanoid compexes LnMB, which were recently developed by Shibasaki et al., are highly efficient catalysts in stereoselective synthesis. This new and innovative type of chiral catalyst contains a Lewis acid as well as a Bronsted base moiety and shows a similar mechanistic effect as observed in enzyme chemistry. A broad variety of asymmetric transformations were carried out using this catalysts, including asymmetric C-C bond formations like the nitroaldol reaction, direct aldol reaction, Michael addition and Diels-Alder reaction, as well as C-0 bond formations (epoxidation of enones). Thereupon, asymmetric C-P bond formation can also be realized as has been successfully shown in case of the asymmetric hydrophosphonylation of aldehydes and imines. It is noteworthy that all above-mentioned reactions proceed with high stereoselectivity, resulting in the formation of the desired optically active products in high to excellent optical purity. 

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