Hydrogenation, catalyzed asymmetric syntheses

Au-Yeung TT-L, Chan S-S, Chan ASC. Partially hydrogenated 1,1 -binaphthyl as ligand scaffold in metal-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis. Adv. Synth. Catal. 2003 345 537-555. 

By combining regioselective Au(l)-catalyzed enamine synthesis with enantiose-lective transfer hydrogenation, the asymmetric synthesis of tetrahydroquinolines from simple 2-(2-propynyl)aniline derivatives has been achieved (Scheme 15.94). Here, a chiral Bronsted acid is used in combination with the Hantzsch ester to install the chiral center with up to 99% ee [316]. 

Another commercial success, this time for Novartis, was the Ir-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of the herbicide, (5)-metolachlor, from an imine precursor. The key advantage of iridium is the extremely high rate (>200,000 TOP h ) and catalyst lifetime ( 10 TON) despite a substantially lower e.e. than with Rh. This shows both that C=N bonds can be hydrogenated, and that in commercial applications, it is not just high e.e. that counts but also productivity per unit reactor volume per unit time. 

The most recent, and probably most elegant, process for the asymmetric synthesis of (+)-estrone appHes a tandem Claisen rearrangement and intramolecular ene-reaction (Eig. 23). StereochemicaHy pure (185) is synthesized from (2R)-l,2-0-isopropyhdene-3-butanone in an overall yield of 86% in four chemical steps. Heating a toluene solution of (185), enol ether (187), and 2,6-dimethylphenol to 180°C in a sealed tube for 60 h produces (190) in 76% yield after purification. Ozonolysis of (190) followed by base-catalyzed epimerization of the C8a-hydrogen to a C8P-hydrogen (again similar to conversion of (175) to (176)) produces (184) in 46% yield from (190). Aldehyde (184) was converted to 9,11-dehydroestrone methyl ether (177) as discussed above. The overall yield of 9,11-dehydroestrone methyl ether (177) was 17% in five steps from 6-methoxy-l-tetralone (186) and (185) (201). 

Only a few other cobalt complexes of the type covered in this review (and therefore excluding, for example, the cobalt carbonyls) have been reported to act as catalysts for homogeneous hydrogenation. The complex Co(DMG)2 will catalyze the hydrogenation of benzil (PhCOCOPh) to benzoin (PhCHOHCOPh). When this reaction is carried out in the presence of quinine, the product shows optical activity. The degree of optical purity varies with the nature of the solvent and reaches a maximum of 61.5% in benzene. It was concluded that asymmetric synthesis occurred via the formation of an organocobalt complex in which quinine was coordinated in the trans position (133). Both Co(DMG)2 and cobalamin-cobalt(II) in methanol will catalyze the following reductive methylations ... 

The BINAP-Ru-catalyzed hydrogenation of difunctional ketones has been applied to the asymmetric synthesis of several bioactive compounds (see Fig. 32.12) [1, 49-51]. Stereocenters derived from the BINAP-Ru are labeled by R or S. 

This new hydrogenation procedure is clean, mild, and effective. It offers a very practical method for chiral alcohol synthesis. Isolated Ru complexes are fairly air and moisture stable and can be stored in an ordinary vial for quite a long time. Compared with the catalysts prepared in situ, the reaction rates in the asymmetric hydrogenations catalyzed by 70 are higher by two orders of magnitude. 

Optically active aldehydes are important precursors for biologically active compounds, and much effort has been applied to their asymmetric synthesis. Asymmetric hydroformylation has attracted much attention as a potential route to enantiomerically pure aldehyde because this method starts from inexpensive olefins and synthesis gas (CO/H2). Although rhodium-catalyzed hydrogenation has been one of the most important applications of homogeneous catalysis in industry, rhodium-mediated hydroformylation has also been extensively studied as a route to aldehydes. 

Chapter 2 to 6 have introduced a variety of reactions such as asymmetric C-C bond formations (Chapters 2, 3, and 5), asymmetric oxidation reactions (Chapter 4), and asymmetric reduction reactions (Chapter 6). Such asymmetric reactions have been applied in several industrial processes, such as the asymmetric synthesis of l-DOPA, a drug for the treatment of Parkinson s disease, via Rh(DIPAMP)-catalyzed hydrogenation (Monsanto) the asymmetric synthesis of the cyclopropane component of cilastatin using a copper complex-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation reaction (Sumitomo) and the industrial synthesis of menthol and citronellal through asymmetric isomerization of enamines and asymmetric hydrogenation reactions (Takasago). Now, the side chain of taxol can also be synthesized by several asymmetric approaches. 

Related catalytic enantioselective processes It is worthy of note that the powerful Ti-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation procedure of Sharpless [27] is often used in the preparation of optically pure acyclic allylic alcohols through the catalytic kinetic resolution of easily accessible racemic mixtures [28]. When the catalytic epoxidation is applied to cyclic allylic substrates, reaction rates are retarded and lower levels of enantioselectivity are observed. Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation has been employed by Noyori to effect the resolution of five- and six-membered allylic carbinols [29] in this instance, as with the Ti-catalyzed procedure, the presence of an unprotected hydroxyl function is required. Perhaps the most efficient general procedure for the enantioselective synthesis of this class of cyclic allylic ethers is that recently developed by Trost and co-workers, involving Pd-catalyzed asymmetric additions of alkoxides to allylic esters [30]. 

Asymmetric Synthesis Based on Hydrogen Transfer 113 Table 5.2 Transfer hydrogenation of quinolines catalyzed by [Cp lrCl2]2 (1) ... 

In the past few years, new approaches for the enantioselective synthesis of / -benzyl-y-butyrolactones appeared in the literature. Some of these approaches involve the asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-benzyl-2-butenediols (j [34]), the radical mediated rearrangement of chiral cyclopropanes (r [35]), the transition metal catalyzed asymmetric Bayer-Villiger oxidation of cyclobutanones n [36]), or the enzymatic resolution of racemic succinates (g [37]). 

Furo[3,4-7]pyridines can be prepared in a stereoselective synthesis involving a ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reaction <2001TL1899>. The reaction proceeds with exceptionally high yield and ee (Equation 50). 

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