Development of Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation with a Bifunctional Oxo-Tethered Ruthenium Catalyst in Flow for the Synthesis of a Ceramide (D-erythro-CER[NDS])

The development of an efficient synthetic route for an optically active ceramide compound (D-erythro-CER[NDS]) is described. The route proceeds through asymmetric transfer hydrogenation in a pipes-in-series flow reactor with oxo-tethered ruthenium complex-catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution. This synthesis was accomplished without any expensive reagents, and none of the intermediates required isolation. This resulted in a robust process that has been successfully run on a production scale.