Ruthenium-catalyzed sequential reactions: deracemization of secondary benzylic alcohols.
The deracemization of secondary benzylic alcohols proceeds successfully by a two-step process with the appropriate combination of two different ruthenium complexes for catalysis in the first oxidation and second reduction steps. The sequential catalytic system provides a novel approach to obtaining optically active alcohols, including diols, in high yields with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 95% ee), in contrast to the conventional kinetic resolution of racemic alcohols.
Shimada
Yusuke
Y
Institute of Engineering Innovation, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan.
Miyake
Yoshihiro
Y
Matsuzawa
Hiroshi
H
Nishibayashi
Yoshiaki
Y