Enantiopure fluorous amino-derivatives: synthesis and some applications in asymmetric organometallic catalysis

The preparation of (2R,3R)-1,4-bis[(1H,1H,2H,2H,3H,3H-perfluoroundecyl)oxy]butane-2,3-diol 5 from (4R,5R)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dimethanol is described. This fluorous diol 5 can be easily converted to the corresponding fluorous enantiopure diamine 8 and amino alcohol 12. While diamine 8 afforded fluorous diimine 9, amino alcohol 12 is the precursor of imino alcohol 13 and amino alcohol 14. Enantioselectivities of up to 31% were obtained in the reduction of acetophenone using iridium or ruthenium complexes associated with these compounds. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.