Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of 3,3-disubstituted allylic alcohols in ethereal solvents.
Ir-phosphinomethyl-oxazoline complexes have been identified as efficient, highly enantioselective catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of 3,3-disubstituted allylic alcohols and related homoallylic alcohols. In contrast to other N,P ligand complexes, which require weakly coordinating solvents, such as dichloromethane, these catalysts perform well in more ecofriendly THF or 2-MeTHF. Their synthetic potential was demonstrated with the formal total synthesis of four bisabolane sesquiterpenes.
Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056, Basel (Switzerland), Fax: (+41) 61-267-1103.
Maurizio
M
Bernasconi
Vincenzo
V
Ramella
Paolo
P
Tosatti
Andreas
A
Pfaltz
allylic alcohols; green solvents; hydrogenation; iridium; natural products