Synthesis, isolation and structural characterization of optically active planar chiral cyclomercurated ferrocenylimines

Asymmetric cyclomercuration of chiral ferrocenylinlines (+)-(R)-2 and (-)-(S)-2 with mercuric acetate and subsequent treatment by lithium chloride gave two different pairs of diastereomeric cyclomercurated ferrocenylimines. The four enantiomerically pure compounds with both planar and central chirality were isolated from the two pairs by thin layer chromatography. The structures and absolute configurations of these complexes were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis and characterized by IR, H-1 NMR, specific rotation and elemental analysis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.