An Efficient Method for Catalytic Asymmetric Reduction of Diketones and Application of Synthesis to Chiral 2,5‐Diphenylpyrrolidine and 2,5‐Diphenylthiolane

Abstract

AbstractAsymmetric reduction of diketones with borane reagents generated in situ using cheap and available NaBH4 and SnCl2 in the presence of (S)‐(−)‐α,α‐diphenyl‐2‐pyrrolidinemethanol was successfully achieved to yield the corresponding chiral diols with excellent stereoselectivity and enantioselectivity. And the chiral diol was transformed into optically pure C2‐symmetricl chiral amine or thioether.