Division of Chemical Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Org Lett. 2011 Mar 4;13(5):1254-7. doi: 10.1021/ol200187d. Epub 2011 Feb 4.
Novel bimetallic complexes [Li{Ru(S)-phgly[(S)-binap]}]X (X = Cl, Br) are readily synthesized by mixing Ru(S)-phgly[(S)-binap] and LiX. A single-crystal X-ray analysis reveals the structure. These bimetallic complexes efficiently catalyze asymmetric hydrocyanation of aldehydes with a substrate-to-catalyst molar ratio of 500-2000 at -78 to -60 °C. A range of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes as well as a tert-alkyl aldehyde is converted to the cyanohydrins in high enantiomeric excess (up to 99%).