title: Highly enantioselective synthesis of alpha,beta-diaminopropanoic acid derivatives using a catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation approach.
abstract: Rh-DuPhos-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of alpha,beta-diamidoacrylates provides a highly efficient and enantioselective route to chiral alpha,beta-diaminopropanoic acid derivatives. The mechanistic course of the hydrogenation was studied using isotopically enriched enamide complexes and phosphorus and carbon NMR. Addition of methyl alpha-N-benzoyl-beta-N-acetyl-diaminopropenoate to the solvated catalyst gave a single 1:1 enamide complex and demonstrated the binding of the olefin and alpha-amide carbonyl group; the carboxylate and beta-N-acyl groups did not bind to the metal. Changes to the electronic and steric properties of the beta-N-acyl group were well tolerated; however, small changes to the binding alpha-N-acyl group were found to significantly affect hydrogenation yields.
authors.affiliation: DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company, Chemical Process R&D, Experimental Station, Wilmington, Delaware 19880-0336, USA. A.Robinson@sci.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Li