An alternative route to tethered Ru(II) transfer hydrogenation catalysts

作者：Hodgkinson Roy; Jurcik Vaclav; Nedden Hans; Blackaby Andrew; Wills Martin^*

来源：Tetrahedron Letters, 2018, 59(10): 930-933.

DOI：10.1016/j.tetlet.2018.01.071

• Ruthenium
• Catalyst
• Tethered
• Reduction
• Alcohol
• Hydrogenation

A new route towards a series of tethered eta(6)-arene/Ru(II) catalysts for use in the transfer and pressure hydrogenation of ketones and aldehydes to alcohols is reported. The route proceeds through the formation of an amide from the diamine precursor, followed by reduction, rather than the direct alkylation of the diamine. This has the advantage that dialkylation of the amine is avoided during the synthesis. Through this new route, both racemic and enantiomerically-pure eta(6)-arene/Ru(11) tethered catalysts can be prepared in high yield.