Abstract
AbstractAsymmetric activation and deactivation of racemic catalysts are two extremes in asymmetric catalysis. In a combination of these two protocols, higher enantioselectivity can be achieved by maximizing the difference in catalytic activity between the enantiomers of racemic catalysts through selective activation and deactivation of enantiomeric catalysts. 3,3′‐Dimethyl‐2,2′‐diamino‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (DM‐DABN) is thus designed as a chiral poison (deactivator) for complete enantiomer resolution of racemic BINAP‐Ru(II) catalysts. The catalyst system of DM‐DABN, 1,2‐diphenylethylenediamine (DPEN), and racemic BINAP‐Ru(II) led to great success in highly enantioselective hydrogenation irrespective of the ketonic substrates. The lower catalytic activity of the BINAP‐Ru(II)/DM‐DABN complex stems from the electron delocalization from the Ru center to the diamine moiety in contrast to the BINAP‐Ru(II)/DPEN complex where the highest electron densities are localized on the Ru‐N region. The present ‘asymmetric activation/deactivation protocol' can provide a guiding principle for the rational design of a molecule for enantiomeric discrimination between racemic catalysts.
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