CATALYST COMPOSITIONS AND THEIR USE IN THE DE-ENRICHMENT OF ENANTIOMERICALLY ENRICHED SUBSTRATES

• Main Authors: STIRLING MATTHEW JOHN, BLACKER ANDREW JOHN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.06.2009
• Subjects: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; CHEMISTRY; HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

There is provided a process for the de-enrichment of enantiomerically enriched compositions which comprises reacting an enantiomerically enriched composition comprising at least a first enantiomer or diastereomer of a substrate comprising a carbon-heteroatom bond, wherein the carbon is a chiral centre and the heteroatom is a group V heteroatom, in the presence of a catalyst system and optionally a reaction promoter to give a product composition comprising first and second enantiomers or diastereomers of the substrate having a carbon-heteroatom bond, the ratio of second to first enantiomer or diastereomer in the product composition being greater than the ratio of second to first enantiomer or diastereomer in the enantiomerically enriched composition. Preferred catalyst systems include transition metal halide complex of the formula MnXpYr wherein M is a transition metal; X is a halide; Y is a neutral optionally substituted hydrocarbyl complexing group, a neutral optionally substituted perhalogenated hydrocarbyl complexing group, or an optionally substituted cyclopentadienyl complexing group; and n, p and r are integers. The reaction promoter is preferably a halide salt.