Synthesis and Reactivity of Poly(propyleneimine) Dendrimers Functionalized with Cyclopentadienone N-Heterocyclic-Carbene Ruthenium(0) Complexes

Ligand design in metal chemistry is a fundamental step when pursuing compounds with specific reactivity. In this paper, the functionalization of the OH group in the lateral chain of the N-heterocyclic-carbene (NHC) ligand bound to a bis-carbonyl cyclopentadienone NHC ruthenium(0) complex allowed the decoration of five generations of poly(propyleneimine) (PPIs) dendrimers with up to 64 organometallic moieties. The coupling was achieved by employing carbonyldiimidazole and the formation of carbamate linkages between dendritic peripheral NH2 and lateral OH groups on ruthenium complexes. The synthetic procedure, chemical purification, and spectroscopic characterization of the five generations of dendrimers (3g1–5) are here described. The ruthenium-modified dendrimers were activated as catalysts in the transfer hydrogenation of the model compound 4-fluoroacetophenone in the presence of cerium ammonium nitrate as their mononuclear congeners. The catalytic activity, being similar for the five generations, shows a decrease if compared to mononuclear complexes. This detrimental effect might be ascribed to the –CH2NH– functionalization, largely present in dendrimer skeleton and that can compete with the hydrogen transfer mechanism, but also partially to a dendritic effect caused by steric encumbrance.

Opportunities offered by chiral η⁶-arene/N-arylsulfonyl-diamine-RuII catalysts in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines

Methods for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of ketones and imines are still being intensively studied and developed. Of foremost interest is the use of Noyori's [RuCl(η⁶-arene)(N-TsDPEN)] complexes in the presence of a hydrogen donor (i-PrOH, formic acid). These complexes have found numerous practical applications and have been extensively modified. The resulting derivatives have been heterogenized, used in ATH in water or ionic liquids and even some attempts have been made to approach the properties of biocatalysts. Therefore, an appropriate modification of the catalyst that suits the specific requirements for the reaction conditions is very often readily available. The mechanism of the reaction has also been explored to a great extent. Model substrates, acetophenone (a ketone) and 6,7-dimethoxy-1-methyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline (an imine), are both reduced by this Ru catalytic system with almost perfect selectivity. However, in each case the major product is a different enantiomer (S- for an alcohol, R- for an amine when the S,S-catalyst is used), which demanded an in-depth mechanistic investigation. Full-scale molecular modelling of this system enabled us to visualize the plausible 3D structures of the transition states, allowing the proposition of a viable explanation of previous experimental findings.

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of prochiral ketones catalyzed by aminosulfonamide-ruthenium complexes in ionic liquid

Chiral aminosulfonamides containing imidazolium group were used as ligands for the ruthenium(II)-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of prochiral ketones in ionic liquid, affording good to excellent conversions and enantiomeric excesses. The catalytic system could be easily recovered and reused several times.

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation over Ru–TsDPEN catalysts supported on siliceous mesocellular foam

A siliceous mesocellular foam-immobilized Ru-TsDPEN complex exhibited excellent catalytic reactivity, enantioselectivity and reusability in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of an imine and ketones.

The “Reverse-Tethered” Ruthenium (II) Catalyst for Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation: Further Applications

The attachment of a tethering group from the basic nitrogen atom to the arene ligand of a ruthenium(II) catalyst greatly improves its ability to catalyze asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) reactions. In this paper, we describe further applications of this versatile system to an extended substrate range.

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation catalysed by hydrophobic dendritic DACH–rhodium complex in water

Hydrophobic Fréchet-type dendritic chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane-Rh(III) complexes have been applied in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones in water using HCOONa as hydrogen source. The catalysts were found to be finely dissolved in the liquid substrates in the aqueous mixture and exhibited high catalytic activity and enantioselectivity (52-97% ee). The catalytic loading could be decreased to 0.01 mol% and good conversion was still obtained with excellent enantioselectivity. Moreover, the catalyst could be easily precipitated from the mixture by adding hexane and reused several times without affecting the high enantioselectivity.

Synthesis of dendritic catalysts and application in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

Frechet-type core-functionalized chiral diamine-based dendritic ligands and hybrid dendritic ligands condensed from polyether wedge and Newkome-type poly(ether-amide) supported multiple ligands were designed and synthesized. The solubility of hybrid dendrimers was found to be finely controlled by the polyether dendron. The catalytic efficiency and recovery use of dendritic ruthenium complexes were compared in the transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone. The core-functionalized dendritic catalysts demonstrated much better recyclability, which verified the stabilizing effects of the bulky polyether wedge on the catalytically active complex. Moreover, the dendritic catalysts were applied in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones, enones, imine, and activated olefin, and moderate to excellent enantioselectivitiy was achieved comparable to that of monomeric catalysts.

Transfer Hydrogenation of Activated CC Bonds Catalyzed by Ruthenium Amido Complexes: Reaction Scope, Limitation, and Enantioselectivity

[reaction: see text] It was found that the chemoselectivity could be completely switched from C=O to C=C bonds in the transfer hydrogenation of activated alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by diamine-ruthenium complex. Moreover, this addition via metal hydride had been applied to the reduction of various activated olefins. The electron-withdrawing ability of functional groups substituted on C=C bonds at the alpha- or beta-position had strong influence on the reactivity. In addition, a wide variety of chiral diamine-Ru(II)-(arene) systems was investigated to explore the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of prochiral alpha,alpha-dicyanoolefins. Two parameters had been systematically studied, (i) the structure of the N-sulfonylated chiral diamine ligands, in which several chiral diamines substituted on the benzene ring of DPEN were first reported, and (ii) the structure of the metal precursors, and high enantioselectivitiy (up to 89% ee) at the beta-carbon was obtained.

Preparation of polymer-supported Ru-TsDPEN catalysts and use for enantioselective synthesis of (S)-fluoxetine

Polymer-supported chiral ligands 9 and 17 were prepared based on Noyori's (1S,2S)- or (1R,2R)-N-(p-tolylsulfonyl)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine. The combination with [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2 has been shown to exhibit high activities and enantioselectivities for heterogeneous asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones (19a-c) with formic acid-triethylamine azeotrope as the hydrogen donor, whereby affording the respective optically active alcohols 20a-c, the key precursors of chiral fluoxetine. As exemplified by ligand 17 for substrate 19c, the catalysts can be recovered and reused in three consecutive runs with no significant decline in enantioselectivity. The procedure avoids the plausible contamination of fluoxetine by the toxic transition metal species.

A remarkably effective catalyst for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in water and air

A Rh(III) complex generated in situ from [Cp*RhCl2]2 and (1R,2R)-N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine (TsCYDN) serves as a remarkably effective, robust catalyst for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones by HCOONa in water in air, affording alcohols in up to 99% ee.

Efficient Heterogeneous Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones Using Highly Recyclable and Accessible Silica-Immobilized Ru-TsDPEN Catalysts

[reaction: see text] Chiral Ru-TsDPEN [N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine]-derived catalysts were first successfully immobilized onto amorphous silica gel and mesoporous silicas of MCM-41 and SBA-15 by an easily accessible approach. The catalyst immobilized on silica gel demonstrated remarkably high catalytic activities and excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee) for the heterogeneous asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various ketones. Particularly, the catalyst could be readily recovered and reused in multiple consecutive catalytic runs (up to 10 uses) with the completely maintained enantioselectivity.

Multiple dendritic catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The first and second generation multiple dendritic ligands based on chiral diamine were synthesized in a convergent approach and were well-characterized by NMR and MS techniques. Their ruthenium complexes prepared in situ had good solubility in the reaction medium (azeotrope of formic acid and triethylamine) and demonstrated high catalytic activity and enantioselectivity comparable to monomeric catalysts in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines. Quantitative yields and for some cases a slightly higher enantioselectivity (up to 98.7% ee) were obtained in the dendritic catalysis. Considering the high local catalyst concentrations at the periphery, diones were tested for the possible synergic reactivity between catalytic units at the surface, while no apparent differences were noted.