Enantioselective hydrogenation cinnamic esters

Racemic diphosphines may be resolved by using transition metal complexes that contain optically active olefinic substrates (Scheme 11) (24). When racemic CHIRAPHOS is mixed with an enantiomerically pure Ir(I) complex that has two ( —)-menthyl (Z)-a-(acetam-ido)cinnamate ligands, (S,5)-CHIRAPHOS forms the Ir complex selectively and leaves the R,R enantiomer uncomplexed in solution. Addition of 0.8 equiv of [Rh(norbomadiene)2]BF4 forms a catalyst system for the enantioselective hydrogenation of methyl (Z)-a-(acetamido)cinnamate to produce the S amino ester with 87% ee. Use of the enantiomerically pure CHIRAPHOS-Rh complex produces the hydrogenation product in 90% ee. These data indicate that, in the solution containing both (S,S)-CHIRAPHOS-Ir and (/ ,/ )-CHIRAPHOS-Rh complexes, hydrogenation is catalyzed by the Rh complex only. 

With Rh(I) salts heterobidentate ligands such as 3 form catalysts of greater activities than homobidentate ligands 4, for enantioselective hydrogenation of acrylate and cinnamate esters. The findings are rationalized in terms of conformational and allosteric effects of the substrates. ... 

One of the standard methods for preparing enantiomerically pure compounds is the enantioselective hydrogenation of olefins, a,/3-unsaturated amino acids (esters, amides), a,/3-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters, enol esters, enamides, /3- and y-keto esters etc. catalyzed by chiral cationic rhodium, ruthenium and iridium complexes ". In isotope chemistry, it has only been exploited for the synthesis of e.p. natural and nonnatural H-, C-, C-, and F-labeled a-amino acids and small peptides from TV-protected a-(acylamino)acrylates or cinnamates and unsaturated peptides, respectively (Figure 11.9). This methodology has seen only hmited use, perhaps because of perceived radiation safety issues with the use of hydrogenation procedures on radioactive substrates. Also, versatile alternatives are available, including enantioselective metal hydride/tritide reductions, chiral auxiliary-controlled and biochemical procedures (see this chapter. Sections 11.2.2 and 11.3 and Chapter 12). 

Heterogeneisation of chiral rhodium complex of 1,2-diphosphines already known as very efficient catalysts for enantioselective hydrogenation32 was achieved through amine functionality borne by pyrrolidine molecule. The supported Rh complex revealed as its homogeneous counterpart very high enantioselectivity (<90%) in hydrogenation of a-(acetylamino)cinnamic acid and its methyl ester. 

Hydrobromination of the same substrate in the a-cyclodextrin complex gave the monobromide with the opposite configuration at 46 % e.e.. This clearly shows that ethyl trans-cinnamate forms complexes with a- and 3-cyclodextrins such that the anti-addition of hydrogen bromide occurs with high but different enantioselectivities in the two cases to yield monobromide derivatives of opposite chiralities. A detailed mechanism, however, could not be described at the present time for the observed asymmetric induction in the hydrobromination and bromination of the a-cyclodextrin complex, because no crystalline or molecular structures were determined for the ester included in a-cyclodextrin. 

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