title: Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of N-Boc-imidazoles and oxazoles.
abstract: Substituted imidazoles and oxazoles were respectively hydrogenated into the corresponding chiral imidazolines and oxazolines (up to 99% ee). The highly enantioselective hydrogenation was achieved by using the chiral ruthenium catalyst, which is generated from Ru(η(3)-methallyl)(2)(cod) and a trans-chelating chiral bisphosphine ligand, PhTRAP. This is the first successful catalytic asymmetric reduction of 5-membered aromatic rings containing two or more heteroatoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan. rkuwano@chem.kyushu-univ.jp
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuwano
authors.forename: Nao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kameyama
authors.forename: Ryuhei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ikeda