title: Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aryl ketones catalyzed by salt-free two samarium centers supported by a chiral multidentate alkoxy ligand.
abstract: [reaction: see text] We synthesized a chiral multidentate ligand, (R,R,R,R)-N,N,N',N'-tetra(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-1,3-xylylene diamine [(R)-2], which can support two metals at adjacent positions. Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone and its derivatives was conducted by using salt-free bimetallic lanthanoid complexes of (R)-2, and the combination of two samarium atoms and (R)-2 was found to be the best catalyst system for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aryl ketones in high enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Kazushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mashima