CATALYTIC ASYMMETRIC HYDROGENATION OF IMINES WITH A CHIRAL TITANOCENE CATALYST - SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The asymmetric hydrogenation of imines with a chiral titanocene catalyst derived from Brintzinger's ansatitanocene complex 1 proceeds to afford amines with good to excellent enantioselectivity. The catalyst is particularly effective for the reduction of cyclic imines. For these substrates enantiomeric excesses from 95 to 99% were achieved. For acyclic imines lower enantiomeric excesses were observed. The reason for this is likely due to the fact that the acyclic imines are mixtures of anti and syn isomers which interconvert during the reaction. The catalyst was found to be tolerant of many functional groups found in organic synthesis. Thus the reaction represents an effective method for the synthesis of chiral cyclic amines.