Chiral phosphinooxazolines (PHOX ligands), which coordinate to a metal center with a N- and a P-atom, allow effective enantiocontrol in a variety of metal-catalyzed reactions. They are readily synthesized, and because of their modular structure, the steric and electronic properties can be tailored for a specific application by variation of the oxazoline ring, the backbone, and the phosphine moiety.

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This Review compiles the evolution, mechanistic understanding, and more recent advances in enantioselective Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution and decarboxylative and oxidative allylic substitutions. For each reaction, the catalytic data, as well as examples of their application to the synthesis of more complex molecules, are collected. Sections in which we discuss key mechanistic aspects for high selectivity and a comparison with other metals (with advantages and disadvantages) are also included. For Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution, the catalytic data are grouped according to the type of nucleophile employed. Because of the prominent position of the use of stabilized carbon nucleophiles and heteronucleophiles, many chiral ligands have been developed. To better compare the results, they are presented grouped by ligand types. Pd-catalyzed asymmetric decarboxylative reactions are mainly promoted by PHOX or Trost ligands, which justifies organizing this section in chronological order. For asymmetric oxidative allylic substitution the results are grouped according to the type of nucleophile used.

Asymmetric hydrogenation is one of the most important catalytic methods for the preparation of optically active compounds. For a long time the range of olefins that could be hydrogenated with high enantiomeric excess was limited to substrates bearing a coordinating group next to the C+C bond. We have found a new class of catalysts, iridium complexes with chiral P, N ligands, that overcome these limitations. For a wide range of unfunctionalized olefins, excellent enantioselectivities could be achieved. Because these catalysts do not require the presence of any particular functional group in the substrate, they considerably broaden the scope of asymmetric hydrogenation. In addition, promising results were also obtained with certain functionalized alkenes, furans, and benzofurans.

The enantioselective hydrogenation of N-(1-phenylethylidene)aniline using cationic iridium complexes with chiral phosphinooxazoline ligands was studied as a chemical probe to assess the potential of ionic liquid/carbon dioxide (IL/CO2) media for, multiphase catalysis. The biphasic system leads to activation, tuning, and immobilization of the catalyst that would be impossible in classical organic solvent systems or in either of the two unconventional media separately. In particular it is demonstrated that (i) the presence of CO2 can be beneficial or even mandatory for efficient hydrogenation in the IL; (ii) the precursor is activated in the IL by anion exchange allowing one to use in situ catalysts; (iii) the anion of the IL greatly influences the selectivity of the catalyst; (iv) the products are readily isolated from the catalyst solution by CO2 extraction without cross contamination of IL or catalyst; and (v) the IL leads to enhanced stability of the catalyst. These results are corroborated and rationalized on the basis of the physicochemical properties of the biphasic medium and the chemical characteristics of the catalytic systems.

Cationic iridium complexes with chiral P,Nligands and tetrakis [3,5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (BAr F ) as the counterion are efficient homogeneous catalysts for the enantioselective hydrogenation of olefins. The complexes are readily prepared, air-stable, and easy to handle. In contrast to chiral rhodium-and ruthenium-phosphine catalysts, they do not require the presence of a polar coordinating group near the C C bond. In the hydrogenation of unfunctionalized arylolefins, high enantioselectivities of > 95% ee with turnover numbers of up to 5000 and turnover frequencies of > 5000 h À1 have been achieved.

A structure is proposed for F430M, a non-cristalline methanolysis product of isolates of the nickel-containing, porphinoid factor F430 from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum.Crucial to the structure determination are five incorporation experiments with M . thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg) in which the specifically m~n o -~~C -l a beled biosynthetic precursors (2-13C)-, (3-I3C)-, (4-I3C)-, (5-I3C) ALA (ALA = 6-amino-levulinic acid) and ~-(methyl-'~C)methionine were incorporated into F430 with high efficiency. The I3C-NMR.-spectra of the specifically labeled F430M samples derived therefrom, together with the UV./VIS. spectral data of F430M, contain all the information necessary for the deduction of the constitution of the F430M chromophore, assuming the established pattern of porphinoid biosynthesis to be operative in F430 biosynthesis. IH-NMR. spectroscopy and, in particular, 'H-NMR.-NOE-difference spectroscopy corroborates and completes the constitutional assignments and, furthermore, makes possible an almost complete derivation of the molecule's relative configuration. Schemes 3 and 4 summarize the results of 'H-NMR. spectroscopy, presenting them within the context of the proposed structure for F430M. The assignment of absolute configuration implied in the formula is given preference because of F430M's very close structural and (assumed) biosynthetic relationship to sirohydrochlorin and vitamin BI2 (with respect to ring C, the assignment is based on degradative evidence).According to the proposed structure, the nickel complex F430M possesses an uroporphinoid (Type 111) ligand skeleton with an additional carbocyclic ring and a chromophore system not previously encountered among natural porphinoids. It can be considered to be a (tetrahydro) derivative of the corphin system, combining structural elements of both porphyrins and corrins. I ) Arbeitsgruppe f u r physikalische organische Chemie (Leitung Prof. J . F. M. Oh), Organisch-chemisches Laboratorium der ETHZ. 0018-019X/82/3/0828-38$01.00/0 0 1982 Schweizerische Chemische Gesellschaft HELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA -Vol. 65, Fasc. 3 (1982) -Nr. 81 829 14) Die Strukturen I, J und K zeigen die hier als UV./VIS.-Modellsysteme massgebenden Chromophortypen. u b e r deren UV./VIS.-Spektren vgl. (151. I J K

Cationic iridium(1) complexes of chiral phosphanodihydrooxazoles were uscd as catalysts for the enantioselective hydrogenation of prochiral N-alkyl and N-aryl imines. The complexes are air-stable crystalline solids that can be readily prepared and are easy to handle. The structures of two complexes were determined by X-ray analysis. For N-alkyl imines of acetophenone, enantiomeric excesses of up to 79% were obtained. Dialkyl ketimines and cyclic imines showed lower reactivity and selectivity. A remarkable dilution effect was observed for the hydrogenation of the N-phenyl imine of acetophenone: decreasing the substrate and catalyst concentration led to a signifi- Keywords