title: Direct asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-oxo-4-arylbut-3-enoic acids.
abstract: A challenging direct asymmetric hydrogenation of (E)-2-oxo-4-arylbut-3-enoic acids to give 2-hydroxy-4-arylbutanoic acids (85.4-91.8% ee) was achieved with a Ru catalyst based on SunPhos as the chiral ligand. Further investigation of the reaction revealed that partial isomerization of 2-hydroxy-4-arylbutenoic acids was involved in the hydrogenation process. Employing the reaction conditions to the hydrogenation of 2-oxo-4-phenylbutanoic acid resulted in better enantioselectivity (91.8% ee) and efficiency (TON = 2000, TOF = 200 h(-1)), which offers a useful method for the synthesis of a common intermediate for ACE inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei, Nanjing 210094, China.
authors.forename: Lvfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Weizheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zhaoguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002087:Butyrates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006865:Hydrogenation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; C479121:3-butenoic acid