This chapter reviews the use of Shvo's catalyst in various hydrogen transfer reactions and also discusses the mechanism of the hydrogen transfer. The Shvo catalyst is very mild to use since no activation by base is required in the transfer hydrogenation of ketones or imines or in the transfer dehydrogenation of alcohols and amines. The Shvo catalyst has also been used as an efficient racemization catalyst for alcohols and amines. Many applications of the racemization reaction are found in the combination with enzymatic resolution leading to a dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR). In these dynamic resolutions, the yield based on the starting material can theoretically reach 100%. The mechanism of the hydrogen transfer from the Shvo catalyst to ketones (aldehydes) and imines as well as the dehydrogenation of alcohols and amines has been studied in detail over the past decade. It has been found that for ketones (aldehydes) and alcohols, there is a concerted transfer of the two hydrogens involved, whereas for typical amines and imines, there is a stepwise transfer of the two hydrogens. One important question is whether the substrate is coordinated to the metal or not in the hydrogen transfer step(s). The pathway involving coordination to activate the substrate is called the inner-sphere mechanism, whereas transfer of hydrogen without coordination is called the outer-sphere mechanism. These mechanistic proposals together with experimental and theoretical studies are discussed.
Cyclopentadienylruthenium complexes commonly serve as efficient transition metal catalysts in the racemization of alcohols. The combination of the racemization reaction with enzymatic resolution leads to dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR). In DKR, a theoretical yield of 100% is possible, making it a powerful tool for enantioselective synthesis. In this Account, we summarize the most important mechanistic aspects of racemization of alcohols reported over the past decade based on both experimental and computational results. Precatalyst activation is often necessary, either by heating the reaction or by adding an alkoxide-type base. The subsequent alcohol-alkoxide exchange is rapid and introduces the substrate into the catalytic cycle. This exchange requires a free coordination site, which may be created via several different mechanisms. Following alkoxide formation, racemization occurs via β-hydride elimination and subsequent readdition. In cyclopentadienyldicarbonylruthenium alkoxide complexes, which are 18-electron complexes, researchers originally considered two mechanisms for the creation of the free coordination site required for β-hydride elimination: a change in hapticity of the cyclopentadienyl ligand from η5 to η3 and dissociation of a CO ligand. Based on computational and experimental results, we have found strong support for the pathway involving CO dissociation. Researchers had also wondered if the substrate remains coordinated to the metal center (the inner-sphere mechanism) during the hydrogen transfer step(s). Using competition and crossover experiments, we found strong evidence for an inner-sphere mechanism. In summary, we have obtained a detailed picture of the racemization of alcohols by cyclopentadienylruthenium catalysts, leading to the development of more efficient catalytic systems for racemization.
A general and efficient route for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure α-substituted ketones and the corresponding lactones has been developed. Ruthenium- and enzyme-catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) with a subsequent Cu-catalyzed α-allylic substitution are the key steps of the route. The α-substituted ketones were obtained in high yields and with excellent enantiomeric excess. The methodology was applied to the synthesis of a naturally occurring caprolactone, (R)-10-methyl-6-undecanolide, via a subsequent Baeyer-Villiger oxidation.
Dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of various aromatic chlorohydrins with the use of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PS-C "Amano" II) and ruthenium catalyst 1 afforded chlorohydrin acetates in high yields and high enantiomeric excesses. These optically pure chlorohydrin acetates are useful synthetic intermediates and can be transformed to a range of important chiral compounds.
(13)CO exchange studies of racemization catalyst (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)Cl and (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)(Ot-Bu) by (13)C NMR spectroscopy are reported. CO exchange for the active catalyst form, (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)(Ot-Bu) is approximately 20 times faster than that for the precatalyst (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)Cl. An inhibition on the rate of racemization of (S)-1-phenylethanol was observed on addition of CO. These results support the hypothesis that CO dissociation is a key step in the racemization of sec-alcohols by (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)Cl, as also predicted by DFT calculations.
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