Reductions transfer hydrogenations

Keywords Alcohols Alkenes Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation C-alkylation Imines Ketones W-aUcylation Oxidation Reduction Transfer hydrogenation... 

The rate of transfer hydrogenation also varies markedly with donor structure. For cyclohexene, 1 -methylcyclohexene, l-methyl-4-isopropyl-cyclohexene,and l-methyl-4-f-butyIcycIohexene as donor in the above hydrogenations, after 1 min the reduction was 11, 78, 99, and 99% complete, respectively (97). 

The scope and limitations for transfer hydrogenation employing either the iron porphyrin system or the combination of iron compound/terpy/PPhs are listed in Table 8. In most cases, the FeCVterpy/PPhs system displays a higher activity. Except for chloromethyl- and cyclopropyl-acetophenone, the desired products were obtained in good to excellent yields. It should be noted that a ring opened product was not observed when cyclopropyl acetophenone was employed. Hence, a radical-type reduction pathway was excluded and a hydride mechanism appeared to be reasonable. 

Classification exclusively in terms of a few basic mechanisms is the ideal approach, but in a comprehensive review of this kind, one is presented with all reactions, and not merely the well-documented (and well-behaved) ones which are readily denoted as inner- or outer-sphere electron transfer, hydrogen atom transfer from coordinated solvent, ligand transfer, concerted electron transfer, etc. Such an approach has been made on a more limited scale. Turney has considered reactions in terms of the charges and complexing of oxidant and reductant but this approach leaves a large number to be coped with under further categories. 

The catalytic alcohol racemization with diruthenium catalyst 1 is based on the reversible transfer hydrogenation mechanism. Meanwhile, the problem of ketone formation in the DKR of secondary alcohols with 1 was identified due to the liberation of molecular hydrogen. Then, we envisioned a novel asymmetric reductive acetylation of ketones to circumvent the problem of ketone formation (Scheme 6). A key factor of this process was the selection of hydrogen donors compatible with the DKR conditions. 2,6-Dimethyl-4-heptanol, which cannot be acylated by lipases, was chosen as a proper hydrogen donor. Asymmetric reductive acetylation of ketones was also possible under 1 atm hydrogen in ethyl acetate, which acted as acyl donor and solvent. Ethanol formation from ethyl acetate did not cause critical problem, and various ketones were successfully transformed into the corresponding chiral acetates (Table 17). However, reaction time (96 h) was unsatisfactory. 

Scheme 2.5 Products formed in the transfer hydrogenation reduction of nitroarenes by complex 35...

The catalytic hydrosi(ly)lations of other C=X functional groups (X = O, NR) constitute alternative routes to the reduction of aldehydes, ketones, imines and other carbonyl compounds (Scheme 2.9), circumventing the use of molecular hydrogen or occasionally harsh transfer hydrogenation conditions. 

On the other hand, one of the first chiral sulfur-containing ligands employed in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones was introduced by Noyori el al Thus, the use of A-tosyl-l,2-diphenylethylenediamine (TsDPEN) in combination with ruthenium for the reduction of various aromatic ketones in the presence of i-PrOH as the hydrogen donor, allowed the corresponding alcohols to be obtained in both excellent yields and enantioselectivities, as... 

The first example of an asymmetric reduction of C=N bonds proceeding via DKR was reported in 2005 by Lassaletta et al. In this process, the transfer hydrogenation of 2-substituted bicyclic and monocyclic ketimines could be accomplished via DKR by using a HCO2H/TEA mixture as the hydrogen source and a chiral ruthenium complex including TsDPEN ligand,... 

The use of chiral ruthenium catalysts can hydrogenate ketones asymmetrically in water. The introduction of surfactants into a water-soluble Ru(II)-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones led to an increase of the catalytic activity and reusability compared to the catalytic systems without surfactants.8 Water-soluble chiral ruthenium complexes with a (i-cyclodextrin unit can catalyze the reduction of aliphatic ketones with high enantiomeric excess and in good-to-excellent yields in the presence of sodium formate (Eq. 8.3).9 The high level of enantioselectivity observed was attributed to the preorganization of the substrates in the hydrophobic cavity of (t-cyclodextrin. 

The reduction of hydrogen peroxide at a mercury electrode is also a stepwise electrode reaction, where the second step once again is fast, so that the observed electrode reaction corresponds to the transfer of two electrons ... 

Transfer hydrogenation is also useful for the reduction of the azido group. The azide was treated 10% Pd/C and ammonium formate in MeOH under an inert atmosphere for 2.5 hours.603... 

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