title: Chiral molecular tweezers: synthesis and reactivity in asymmetric hydrogenation.
abstract: We report the synthesis and reactivity of a chiral aminoborane displaying both rapid and reversible H2 activation. The catalyst shows exceptional reactivity in asymmetric hydrogenation of enamines and unhindered imines with stereoselectivities of up to 99% ee. DFT analysis of the reaction mechanism pointed to the importance of both repulsive steric and stabilizing intermolecular non-covalent forces in the stereodetermining hydride transfer step of the catalytic cycle.
authors: †Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Lindqvist
authors: †Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Katja
authors: K
authors: Borre
authors: †Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Kirill
authors: K
authors: Axenov
authors: ‡Institute of Organic Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 286, H-1519 Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Bianka
authors: B
authors: Kótai
authors: †Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Nieger
authors: †Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Markku
authors: M
authors: Leskelä
authors: ‡Institute of Organic Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 286, H-1519 Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Imre
authors: I
authors: Pápai
authors: †Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Timo
authors: T
authors: Repo