Abstract
alpha, beta-Unsaturated nitriles can be hydrogenated with enantioselectivities LIP to 88% ee using chiral ruthenium-diphenylphosphino bisaryl and bisheteroaryl complexes such as ruthenium(II)-BINAP and ruthenium(II)-BINP. Mechanistic investigations indicate that conversion is accelerated by electron-rich ligands and that an additional coordinative group needs be present in order to promote ...
Abstract
alpha, beta-Unsaturated nitriles can be hydrogenated with enantioselectivities LIP to 88% ee using chiral ruthenium-diphenylphosphino bisaryl and bisheteroaryl complexes such as ruthenium(II)-BINAP and ruthenium(II)-BINP. Mechanistic investigations indicate that conversion is accelerated by electron-rich ligands and that an additional coordinative group needs be present in order to promote conversion. The chiral products are useful building blocks for the synthesis of histamine H-2 agonists of the arpromidine type. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.