Ruthenium catalysts alcohol racemization, dynamic kinetic

Maviynsky D, Paivio M, LundeU K, Sillanpaa R, Kanerva LT, Leino R. Dicarbonylchloro(pentabenzylcyclopentadienyl) ruthenium as racemization catalyst in the dynamic kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2009 1317-1320. 

Another ruthenium catalyst was used for the dynamic kinetic resolution of allylic alcohols [reaction (24)] by acylation yielding allylic acetates. Again a redox process should be responsible for the racemization. 

Today, dynamic kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols by combination of enzymes with transition metal catalysts, originally developed by Williams and Backvall, are perhaps the best developed methods (33-36). Hitherto the most successful catalyst designs have been based on half-sandwich ruthenium complexes, of which the pentaphenylcyclopentadienyl ruthenium complex has been claimed as the currently best racemization catalyst. Racemization is then based on reversible conversion of the alcohol into the corresponding ketone (Fig. 21, A). The dynamic kinetic resolution of 1-phenylethanol with isopropenyl acetate in toluene in the presence of Novozym 435, performed in preparative scale, is a good example of the use of ruthenium complexes (35). Another thoroughly studied racemization method (Fig. 21, B) is based on the use of acidic resins or zeolites. Here the racemization takes place through prochiral sp car-benium ion by simultaneous elimination and addition of water (37). The use of... 

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