Double approaches for obtaining an asymmetric one-pot addition/reduction reaction

Abstract

In the last decades, one of the most important goals in synthetic chemistry consists in having both a low environmentally impact process and a more economic one. Based on this consideration, the one-pot reaction represents a valid alternative to realize this challenge, thanks to its decreasing of energy and time consumption, avoiding a lengthy separation process for purification of the chemical intermediates. The here proposed one-pot reaction consists in a first step involving an asymmetric conjugate addition of aryl boronic acids to 3-azaarylpropenones containing pyridine core followed by an asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of the aryl ketone in the case of biaryl moieties and by an asymmetric biocatalytic reduction in the case of alkyl derivatives. Studying the kinetic of the first reaction, the second catalytic step can be successfully carried out with good results in terms of conversion and stereoselectivity with both the approaches.