Chiral eta6-arene/N-tosylethylenediamine-Ru(II) complexes, known as excellent catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in basic 2-propanol, can be used for asymmetric hydrogenation using H2 gas. Active catalysts are generated from RuCl[(S,S)-TsNCH(C6H5)CH(C6H5)NH2](eta6-p-cymene) in methanol, but not 2-propanol, or by combination of Ru[(S,S)-TsNCH(C6H5)CH(C6H5)NH](eta6-p-cymene) and CF3SO3H or other non-nucleophilic acids. This method allows, for the first time, asymmetric hydrogenation of simple ketones under acidic conditions. Hydrogenation of base-sensitive 4-chromanone and its derivatives with the S,S catalyst proceeds in methanol with a substrate-to-catalyst molar ratio of 1000-3000 (10 atm) to 7000 (100 atm), giving (S)-4-chromanols with 97% ee quantitatively. The reaction can be achieved even on a 2.4 kg scale. The mechanistic rationale for the catalytic efficiency is presented.
Chiral arene-N-tosylethylenediamine-Ru(II) complexes can be made to effect both asymmetric transfer hydrogenation and asymmetric hydrogenation of simple ketones through a slight functional modification and by switching reaction conditions. [Ru(OSO2CF3){(S,S)-TsNCH(C6H5)CH(C6H5)NH2}(eta(6)-p-cymene)] catalyzes the asymmetric hydrogenation of acetophenone in methanol to afford (S)-1-phenylethanol with 96% ee in 100% yield. Like the transfer hydrogenation catalyzed by similar Ru catalysts with basic 2-propanol or a formic acid/triethylamine mixture, this hydrogenation proceeds through a metal-ligand bifunctional mechanism. The reduction of the C=O function occurs via an intermediary 18e RuH species in its outer coordination sphere without metal-substrate interaction. The high catalytic efficiency relies on the facile ionization of the Ru triflate complex in methanol. The turnover rate is dependent on hydrogen pressure and medium acidity and basicity. The RuCl analogue can be used as a precatalyst, albeit less effectively. Unlike the well-known diphosphine-1,2-diamine-Ru(II)-catalyzed hydrogenation that proceeds in a basic alcohol, this reaction takes place under slightly acidic conditions, creating new opportunities for asymmetric hydrogenation.
Asymmetric hydrogenation of various alpha-chloro aromatic ketones with Ru(OTf)(TsDPEN)(eta6-arene) (TsDPEN = N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine) produces the chiral chlorohydrins in up to 98% ee. This reaction can be conducted even on a 206-g scale. The hydrogenation of an alpha-chloro ketone with a phenol moiety has been utilized for the synthesis of (R)-norphenylephrine without protection-deprotection operations. [reaction: see text].
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