title: Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by hydrophobic metal-amido complexes in aqueous micelles and vesicles.
abstract: [Reaction: see text]. Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones, especially alpha-bromomethyl aromatic ketones, catalyzed by unmodified, hydrophobic transition metal-amido complexes (TsDPEN-M), was performed successfully with significant enhancement of activity, chemoselectivity, and enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) in aqueous media containing micelles and vesicles. The hydrophobic catalyst, embedded in micelles constructed from the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), could be separated from the organic phase along with the products and was recycled for at least six times.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Asymmetric Synthesis & Chirotechnology of Sichuan Province and Union Laboratory of Asymmetric Synthesis, Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Linfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cun
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jingen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yaozhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang