Synfacts 2011(4): 0420-0420  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1259654
Metal-Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis and Stereoselective Reactions
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketimines

Contributor(s): Mark Lautens, Jane Panteleev
F. Chen, T. Wang, Y. He, Z. Ding, Z. Li, L. Xu, Q.-H. Fan*, M.-H. Xu*
Institute of Chemistry and Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing and Renmin University, Beijing, P. R. of China
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
18 March 2011 (online)

Significance

The authors describe the use of a phosphine-free ruthenium catalyst in the hydrogenation of ketimines. Hydrogenations of carbonyl derivatives are a highly important class of reactions, which received considerable attention over the past decade (see Review below). This work further expands the field by describing the use of a diamine ruthenium catalyst in imine hydrogenation, which gives high turnover numbers and good enantioselectivity in the absence of solvent. This catalyst system was first used in hydrogenations of ketones by the Noyori group (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 8724).

Review: T. C. Nugent, M. El-Shazly Adv. Synth. Catal. 2010, 352, 753-819.