Recent Advances in the Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Amines via Transition Metal-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation

Chiral amines are key structural motifs present in a wide variety of natural products, drugs, and other biologically active compounds. During the past decade, significant advances have been made with respect to the enantioselective synthesis of chiral amines, many of them based on catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation (AH). The present review covers the use of AH in the synthesis of chiral amines bearing a stereogenic center either in the α, β, or γ position with respect to the nitrogen atom, reported from 2010 to 2020. Therefore, we provide an overview of the recent advances in the AH of imines, enamides, enamines, allyl amines, and N-heteroaromatic compounds.

Iridium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Quinolines in Biphasic Systems or Water

An asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of quinolines in water or biphasic systems was developed. This ATH reaction proceeds smoothly without the need for inert atmosphere protection in the presence of a water-soluble iridium catalyst, which bears an easily available aminobenzimidazole ligand. This ATH system can work at a catalyst loading of 0.001 mol % (S/C = 100 000, turnover number (TON) of up to 33 000) under mild reaction conditions. The turnover frequency (TOF) value can reach as high as 90 000 h-1. A variety of quinoline and N-heteroaryl compounds are transformed into the desired products in high yield and up to 99% enantiomeric excess (ee).

Recent Advances in Homogeneous Catalysts for the Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Heteroarenes

The asymmetric hydrogenation of heteroarenes has recently emerged as an effective strategy for the direct access to enantioenriched, saturated heterocycles. Although several homogeneous catalyst systems have been extensively developed for the hydrogenation of heteroarenes with high levels of chemo- and stereoselectivity, the development of mild conditions that allow for efficient and stereoselective hydrogenation of a broad range of substrates remains a challenge. This Perspective highlights recent advances in homogeneous catalysis of heteroarene hydrogenation as inspiration for the further development of asymmetric hydrogenation catalysts, and addresses underdeveloped areas and limitations of the current technology.

Progress in the Chemistry of Tetrahydroquinolines

Tetrahydroquinoline is one of the most important simple nitrogen heterocycles, being widespread in nature and present in a broad variety of pharmacologically active compounds. This Review summarizes the progress achieved in the chemistry of tetrahydroquinolines, with emphasis on their synthesis, during the period from mid-2010 to early 2018.

Yolk-Shell-Mesostructured Silica-Supported Dual Molecular Catalyst for Enantioselective Tandem Reactions

Yolk-shell-mesostructured silica was used as a support in the development of an active-site-isolated bifunctional catalyst that can mediate a sequential organic transformation. Herein, through immobilization, the location of two catalytic species is controlled: a base functionality is anchored in the channels of the outer silica shell and a chiral ruthenium/diamine functionality is anchored on the inner silica yolk. The result is a yolk-shell-mesostructured silica-supported active-site-isolated dual molecule catalyst. Structural analysis through solid-state carbon ¹³ C NMR spectroscopy reveals its well-defined single-site dual active centers. Electron microscopy investigations disclose its uniformly distributed mesoporous nanoparticles. As envisaged, this bifunctional catalyst enables a controllable aza-Michael addition/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation catalytic sequence, where the base-catalyzed aza-Michael addition of enones and amines to aryl-substituted β -secondary amino ketones is followed by a Ru-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation. Various aryl-substituted γ-secondary amino alcohols are obtained in high yields and enantioselectivities via this one-pot enantioselective organic transformation. Furthermore, the heterogeneous catalyst can be applied in a continuous-flow process, which was shown to be particularly attractive for the practical preparation of aryl-substituted γ-secondary amino alcohols in an environmentally friendly medium.

Transformation of N, N-Dimethylaniline N-Oxides into Diverse Tetrahydroquinoline Scaffolds via Formal Povarov Reactions

A one-pot protocol for the assembly of diversely functionalized tetrahydro-, hexahydrofuro-, hexahydropyrano-, and tetrahydrobenzofuroquinolines from N, N-dimethylaniline N-oxides and various electron-rich olefins in a tandem Polonovski-Povarov sequence is reported. Following activation of the N-O bond with Boc₂O, an exocyclic iminium ion is unveiled upon exposure to tin(IV) chloride. A formal inverse-electron-demand aza-Diels-Alder cyclization generates the tetrahydroquinoline core of 29 examples in up to 92% yield.

Boron Tetrafluoride Anion Bonding Dual Active Species Within a Large-Pore Mesoporous Silica for Two-Step Successive Organic Transformaion to Prepare Optically Pure Amino Alcohols

Development of a simple and easy handing process for preparation of multifunctional heterogenous catalysts and exploration of their applications in sequential organic transformation are of great significance in heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis. Herein, through the utilization of a BF4- anion–bonding strategy, we anchor conveniently both organic bases and chiral ruthenium complex into the nanopores of Me-FDU−12, fabricating a Lewis base/Ru bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst. As we envisaged, cyclic amine as a Lewis base promotes an intermolecular aza–Michael addition between enones and arylamines, affording γ-secondary amino ketones featuring with aryl motif, whereas ruthenium/diamine species as catalytic promoter boosts an asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of γ-secondary amino ketones to γ-secondary amino alcohols. As expected, both enhance synergistically the aza–Michael addition/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation one–pot enantioselective organic transformation, producing chiral γ-secondary amino alcohols with up to 98% enantioselectivity. Unique features, such as operationally simple one–step synthesis of heterogeneous catalyst, homo–like catalytic environment as well as green sustainable process make this heterogeneous catalyst an attracting in a practical preparation of optically pure pharmaceutical intermediates of antidepressants.

Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Imines in Water by Varying the Ratio of Formic Acid to Triethylamine

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of imines has been performed with variation in formic acid (F) and triethylamine (T) molar ratios in water. The F/T ratio is shown to affect both the reduction rate and enantioselectivity, with the optimum ratio being 1.1 in the ATH of imines with the Rh-(1S,2S)-TsDPEN catalyst. Use of methanol as a cosolvent enhanced reduction activity. A variety of imine substrates have been reduced, affording high yields (94-98%) and good to excellent enantioselectivities (89-98%). In comparison with the common azeotropic F-T system, the reduction with 1.1/1 F/T is faster.

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of quinoline carbocycles: unusual chemoselectivity in the hydrogenation of quinolines

A chiral PhTRAP–ruthenium catalyst selectively hydrogenates the quinoline carbocycles to afford 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinolines with up to 91 : 9 er.