Catalytic Asymmetric Olefin Hydrogenations

The bis-DIOP complex HRh[(+)-DIOP]2 has been used under mild conditions for catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of several prochiral olefinic carboxylic acids (273-275). Optical yields for reduction of N-acetamidoacrylic acid (56% ee) and atropic acid (37% ee) are much lower than those obtained using the mono-DIOP catalysts (10, II, 225). The rates in the bis-DIOP systems, however, are much slower, and the hydrogenations are complicated by slow formation of the cationic complex Rh(DIOP)2+ (271, 273, 274) through reaction of the starting hydride with protons from the substrate under H2 the cationic dihydride is maintained [cf. Eq. (25)] ... 

The catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation with cationic Rh(I)-complexes is one of the best-understood selection processes, the reaction sequence having been elucidated by Halpern, Landis and colleagues [21a, b], as well as by Brown et al. [55]. Diastereomeric substrate complexes are formed in pre-equilibria from the solvent complex, as the active species, and the prochiral olefin. They react in a series of elementary steps - oxidative addition of hydrogen, insertion, and reductive elimination - to yield the enantiomeric products (cf. Scheme 10.2) [56]. 

Olefinic double-bond isomerization is probably one of the most commonly observed and well-studied reactions that uses transition metals as catalysts [1]. However, prior to our first achievement of asymmetric isomerization of allylamine by optically active Co(I) complex catalysts [2], there were only a few examples of catalytic asymmetric isomerization, and these were characterized by very low asymmetric induction (<4% ee) [3], In 1978 we reported that an enantioselective hydrogen migration of a prochiral allylamine such as AVV-diethylgerany-lamine, (1) or N V-diethylnerylamine (2) gave optically active citronellal ( )-enamine 3 with about 32% ee utilizing Co(I)-DIOP [DIOP = 2,3-0-isopropylidene-2,3-dihydroxy-l,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane] complexes as the catalyst (eq 3.1). 

The catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of electron-deficient olefins has been regarded as one of the most representative asymmetric PTC reactions, and various such systems have been reported (Scheme 3.12). Lygo reported the asymmetric epoxidation of chalcone derivatives through the use of NaOCl [30,31], while Shioiri and Arai used aqueous H202 as an oxidant, their results indicating hydrogen bonding between the catalyst and substrates because an OH functionality in the catalyst was essential... 

Importantly, mixtures of E- and Z-olefin substrates could be hydrogenated with comparable enantioselectivities, providing an enantioconvergent process a highly desirable yet rare feature of a catalytic asymmetric reaction. In addition, this transformation effectively differentiates between />,/>-olefin substituents of similar steric demand (e.g., Me/Et, Ar/c-hex), furnishing hydrogenated products with very high enantioselectivity. 

In the late sixties, several research groups in the U.S. (6), Europe (7), and Japan (8) initiated studies of homogeneous catalytic asymmetric syntheses. Of these efforts, the catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral olefins reported by Knowles, et al. (6,9) attracted most attention. The importance of this technology was shown by its application in the Monsanto L-DOPA process which had since become an industrial flagship in catalytic asymmetric syntheses (Figure 1). 

There is no doubt that catalytic asymmetric synthesis has a significant advantage over the traditional diastereomeric resolution technology. However, it is important to note that for the asymmetric hydrogenation technology to be commercially useful, a low-cost route to the precursor olefins is just as crucial. The electrocarboxylation of methyl aryl ketone and the dehydration of the substituted lactic acids in Figures 5 and 6 are highly efficient. Excellent yields of the desired products can be achieved in each reaction. These processes are currently under active development. However, since the subjects of electrochemistry and catalytic dehydration are beyond the scope of this article, these reactions will be published later in a separate paper. 

The complexes with chiral asymmetric ligands [186] are used for catalytic enantioselec-tive olefin hydrogenation. 

The successful industrial application of the homogeneous catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral olefins depends on the ability of the catalyst systems to offer high activity both in terms of reaction rate and efficient utilization of the catalyst (as the molar substrate to catalyst ratio S/C). It is also essential for the reaction to deliver the product with high enantiomeric excess and in good yield under conditions appropriate for industrial manufacture. In addition, the catalysts should be accessible in appropriate quantities for commercial manufacture. 

Homogeneous catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation has become one of the most efficient methods for the synthesis of chiral alcohols, amines, a and (3-amino acids, and many other important chiral intermediates. Specifically, catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation methods developed by Professor Ryoji Noyori are highly selective and efficient processes for the preparation of a wide variety of chiral alcohols and chiral a-amino acids.3 The transformation utilizes molecular hydrogen, BINAP (2,2 -bis(diphenylphosphino)-l,l -binaphthyl) ligand and ruthenium(II) or rhodium(I) transition metal to reduce prochiral ketones 1 or olefins 2 to their corresponding alcohols 3 or alkanes 4, respectively.4... 

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