Experimental and theoretical perspectives of the Noyori-Ikariya asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of imines

• Published in: Molecules Vol. 19; no. 6; pp. 6987 - 7007
• Main Authors: Václavík, Jiří, Sot, Petr, Pecháček, Jan, Vilhanová, Beáta, Matuška, Ondřej, Kuzma, Marek, Kačer, Petr
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 28.05.2014; MDPI
• Subjects: arene; asymmetric hydrogenation; Catalysis; DFT; Hydrogenation; imine; Imines - chemistry; ligand; Molecular Structure; Review; ruthenium; Ruthenium - chemistry; Stereoisomerism; sulfonyl
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules19066987

The asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of imines catalyzed by the Noyori-Ikariya [RuCl(η6-arene)(N-arylsulfonyl-DPEN)] (DPEN=1,2-diphenylethylene-1,2-diamine) half-sandwich complexes is a research topic that is still being intensively developed. This article focuses on selected aspects of this catalytic system. First, a great deal of attention is devoted to the N-arylsulfonyl moiety of the catalysts in terms of its interaction with protonated imines (substrates) and amines (components of the hydrogen-donor mixture). The second part is oriented toward the role of the η6-coordinated arene. The final part concerns the imine substrate structural modifications and their importance in connection with ATH. Throughout the text, the summary of known findings is complemented with newly-presented ones, which have been approached both experimentally and computationally.