Synthesis of Iron P-N-P′ and P-NH-P′ Asymmetric Hydrogenation Catalysts

Abstract

Complexes of the type mer,trans-[Fe(P-N-P′)(CO)2Br]BF4 are known to be precatalysts for the asymmetric direct hydrogenation of ketones and imines. Employing related ligand scaffolds, we successfully generated and tested the series of three new precatalysts [Fe(PCy2CH2CH═NCH(R)CH2PPh2)(CO)2Br]BF4 with chirality derived from (S)-amino alcohols with phenyl, benzyl, and isopropyl substituents (R), yielding fairly active and selective systems. For the reduction of acetophenone to (S)-1-phenylethanol turnover frequencies up to 920 h–1 and up to 74% enantiomeric excess at 50 °C and 5–25 atm of H2 were obtained. We found, however, that placing these large groups R next to nitrogen was found to be deleterious to catalytic activity. Extending the scope of the ligand structure, we then developed a series of six P-N-P and five P-NH-P′ systems starting with o-diphenylphosphinobenzaldehyde and the phosphine-amines PPh2CHR1CHR2NH2 (R1 = H, Ph, CH2Ph, iPr with R2 = H or R1 = Me, Ph with R2 = Ph) as well as their correspo...