Manganese catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones

The asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of a wide range of ketones catalyzed by manganese complex as well as chiral PxNy-type ligand under mild conditions was investigated. Using 2-propanol as hydrogen source, various ketones could be enantioselectively hydrogenated by combining cheap, readily available [MnBr(CO)(5)] with chiral, 22-membered macrocyclic ligand (R,R,R',R')-CyP2N4 (L5) with 2 mol% of catalyst loading, affording highly valuable chiral alcohols with up to 95% ee. (C) 2020 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study investigated the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of a wide range of ketones catalyzed by manganese complex and chiral PxNy-type ligand under mild conditions. By using 2-propanol as a hydrogen source and combining [MnBr(CO)(5)] with chiral, 22-membered macrocyclic ligand (R,R,R',R')-CyP2N4 (L5) with 2% catalyst loading, various ketones could be enantioselectively hydrogenated to afford highly valuable chiral alcohols with up to 95% ee.