Light-Induced Enantioselective Hydrogenation Using Chiral Derivatives of Casey’s Iron–Cyclopentadienone Catalyst

Iron- and Organo-Catalyzed Borrowing Hydrogen for the Stereoselective Construction of Tetrahydropyrans

Stereocontrolled oxa-Michael additions are challenging, given the high reversibility of the process, which ultimately leads to racemization of the newly formed stereocenters. When iron-catalyzed borrowing hydrogen from allylic alcohols was combined with a stereocontrolled organocatalytic oxa-Michael addition, a wide array of chiral tetrahydropyrans were efficiently prepared. The reaction could be performed in a diastereoselective manner from pre-existing stereocenters or enantioselectively from achiral substrates. The key to success was the reactivity of the iron complex, which was selective for allylic alcohol dehydrogenation and irreversibly led the reaction to the final product.

A Tetradentate Ligand Enables Iron-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketones in a CO- or Isocyanide-Free Fashion

We herein reported the design and synthesis of a ferrocene-based tetradentate ligand that is featured with modular synthesis and rigid skeleton. Its iron(II) complex facilitates asymmetric direct hydrogenation of ketones without the participation of extra strong-field ligand such as CO and isocyanide. Hydride donor lithium aluminum hydride (LAH) converted non-reactive Fe(II) species to reactive Fe(II) hydride species. With this catalyst, various chiral alcohols including the intermediate for montelukast could be prepared with satisfactory yields and enantioinduction.

Performance of homogeneous catalysts viewed in dynamics

Effective assessment of catalytic performance is the foundation for the rational design and development of new catalysts with superior performance. The ubiquitous screening/optimization studies use reaction yields as the sole performance metric in an approach that often neglects the complexity of the catalytic system and intrinsic reactivities of the catalysts. Using an example of hydrogenation catalysis, we examine the transient behavior of catalysts that are often encountered in activation, deactivation and catalytic turnover processes. Each of these processes and the reaction environment in which they take place are gradually shown to determine the real-time catalyst speciation and the resulting kinetics of the overall catalytic reaction. As a result, the catalyst performance becomes a complex and time-dependent metric defined by multiple descriptors apart from the reaction yield. This behaviour is not limited to hydrogenation catalysis and affects various catalytic transformations. In this feature article, we discuss these catalytically relevant descriptors in an attempt to arrive at a comprehensive depiction of catalytic performance.

Iron-Catalyzed α-Methylation of Ketones Using Methanol as the C1 Source under Photoirradiation

A mild, environmentally benign approach for α-methylation of ketones utilizing methanol as the C1 source under visible light has been developed. The reaction conditions were favorable for a wide range of ketones with both aromatic and aliphatic backbones, allowing for good-to-excellent yields of the respective products. The tentative mechanism is postulated after preliminary mechanistic and kinetic experiments.

(Cyclopentadienone)iron Complexes: Synthesis, Mechanism and Applications in Organic Synthesis

(Cyclopentadienone)iron tricarbonyl complexes are catalytically active, inexpensive, easily accessible and air-stable that are extensively studied as an active pre-catalyst in homogeneous catalysis. Its versatile catalytic activity arises exclusively due to the presence of a non-innocent ligand, which can trigger its unique redox properties effectively. These complexes have been employed widely in (transfer)hydrogenation (e. g., reduction of polar multiple bonds, Oppenauer-type oxidation of alcohols), C-C and C-N bond formation (e. g., reductive aminations, α-alkylation of ketones) and other synthetic transformations. In this review, we discuss the remarkable advancement of its various synthetic applications along with synthesis and mechanistic studies, until February 2021.

Asymmetric hydrogenation catalyzed by first-row transition metal complexes

This review focuses on asymmetric direct and transfer hydrogenation with first-row transition metal complexes. The reaction mechanisms and the models of enantiomeric induction were summarized and emphasized.

Organic synthesis with the most abundant transition metal–iron: from rust to multitasking catalysts

The promising aspects of iron in synthetic chemistry are being explored for three-four decades as a green and eco-friendly alternative to late transition metals. This present review unveils these rich iron-chemistry towards different transformations.

Configurational landscape of chiral iron(ii) bis(phosphane) complexes

An [FeH(η²-H₂){Me-DuPhos}₂]⁺ complex reacts with ethers and halides to give cis- and trans-dihydrogen substituted isomers and [FeX{Me-DuPhos}₂]⁺ (X = Cl, I) complexes.

Synthesis and Catalytic Application of Knölker-Type Iron Complexes with a Novel Asymmetric Cyclopentadienone Ligand Design

Asymmetric catalysis is an essential tool in modern chemistry, but increasing environmental concerns demand the development of new catalysts based on cheap, abundant, and less toxic iron. As a result, Knölker-type catalysts have emerged as a promising class of iron catalysts for various chemical transformations, notably the hydrogenation of carbonyls and imines, while asymmetric versions are still under exploration to achieve optimal enantio-selectivities. In this work, we report a novel asymmetric design of a Knölker-type catalyst, in which the C2-rotational symmetric cyclopentadienone ligand possesses chiral substituents on the 2- and 5-positions near the active site. Four examples of the highly modular catalyst design were synthesized via standard organic procedures, and their structures were confirmed with NMR, IR, MS, and polarimetry analysis. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to elucidate the spatial conformation of the catalysts, and therewith to rationalize the influence of structural alterations. Transfer- and H2-mediated hydrogenations were successfully established, leading to appreciable enantiomeric excesses (ee) values up to 70%. Amongst all reported Knölker-type catalysts, our catalyst design achieves one of the highest ee values for hydrogenation of acetophenone and related compounds.

Synthesis and applications to catalysis of novel cyclopentadienone iron tricarbonyl complexes

New approaches to enantiomerically-pure cyclopentadienone iron complexes, and their applications to ketone reductions reactions, are described.

Manganese(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Ketones Using a Defined Chiral PNP Pincer Ligand

A new chiral manganese PNP pincer complex is described. The asymmetric hydrogenation of several prochiral ketones with molecular hydrogen in the presence of this complex proceeds under mild conditions (30-40 °C, 4 h, 30 bar H₂ ). Besides high catalytic activity for aromatic substrates, aliphatic ketones are hydrogenated with remarkable selectivity (e.r. up to 92:8). DFT calculations support an outer sphere hydrogenation mechanism as well as the experimentally determined stereochemistry.

Iron catalyzed diastereoselective hydrogenation of chiral imines

Cyclopentadienone-based iron complexes successfully catalyzed the stereoselective hydrogenation of chiral imines, leading to enantiopure pharmaceutically active compounds.

Synthesis and reactivity of BINEPINE-based chiral Fe(II) PNP pincer complexes

ABSTRACT

A new asymmetric chiral PNP ligand based on the 2,6-diaminopyridine scaffold featuring a R-BINEPINE moiety was prepared. Treatment of anhydrous FeX2 (X = Cl, Br) with 1 equiv of PNP-iPr,BIN at room temperature afforded the coordinatively unsaturated paramagnetic complexes [Fe(PNP-iPr,BIN)X2]. The structure of [Fe(PNP-iPr,BIN)Cl2] is described. Both complexes react readily with the strong π-acceptor ligand CO in solution to afford selectively the diamagnetic complexes trans-[Fe(PNP-iPr,BIN)(CO)X2] in quantitative yield. Due the lability of the CO ligand, these complexes are only stable under a CO atmosphere and isolation in pure form was not possible. The preparation of the carbonyl hydride complex [Fe(PNP-iPr,BIN)(H)(CO)Br] was achieved albeit in low yields via a one pot procedure by treatment of [Fe(PNP-iPr,BINEP)Br2] with CO and subsequent reaction with Na[HBEt3]. This complex was obtained as an inseparable mixture of two diastereomers in a ca. 1:1 ratio and was tested as catalyst for the hydrogenation of ketones. The catalyst showed acceptable activity under mild conditions (5 bar H2, room temperature) with yields up to >99 % within 18 h.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT