Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of imines in water/methanol co-solvent system and mechanistic investigation by DFT studyElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental procedures, NMR spectra and HPLC traces of the products, computational details, electronic energies in au and in kcal mol−1 (Tables S3-S6) and the xyz coordinates of all the structures discussed in the manuscript. See DOI: 10.1039/c4ra07964g

• Main Authors: Shende, Vaishali S, Shingote, Savita K, Deshpande, Sudhindra H, Kuriakose, Nishamol, Vanka, Kumar, Kelkar, Ashutosh A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 24.09.2014
• DOI: 10.1039/c4ra07964g

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various cyclic imines proceeded efficiently with water/methanol co-solvent media in 20 min with excellent yields and enantioselectivities by employing Rh-TsDPEN catalyst and sodium formate as a hydrogen donor. The role of the co-solvent in enhanced productivity of the reaction was investigated by DFT. The mechanism for ATH of the imines has been discussed on the basis of the DFT study. Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various cyclic imines proceeded efficiently with H 2 O/MeOH (1 : 1, v/v) co-solvent media in 20 min with excellent yields and enantioselectivities by using Rh-TsDPEN catalyst and HCOONa as a hydrogen donor.