Steroid-Derived Naphthoquinoline Asphaltene Model Compounds: Hydriodic Acid Is the Active Catalyst in I2-Promoted Multicomponent Cyclocondensation Reactions.

A multicomponent cyclocondensation reaction between 2-aminoanthracene, aromatic aldehydes, and 5-α-cholestan-3-one has been used to synthesize model asphaltene compounds. The active catalyst for this reaction has been identified as hydriodic acid, which is formed in situ from the reaction of iodine with water, while iodine is not a catalyst under anhydrous conditions. The products, which contain a tetrahydro[4]helicene moiety, are optically active, and the stereochemical characteristics have been examined by VT-NMR and VT-CD spectroscopies, as well as X-ray crystallography.

Direct observations of the metal-ligand bifunctional addition step in an enantioselective ketone hydrogenation.

The catalytic intermediate trans-[Ru((R)-BINAP)(H)2((R,R)-dpen)] (1) reacted on mixing with acetophenone in THF at -80 degrees C under approximately 2 atm H2 to generate the alkoxide trans-Ru((R)-BINAP)(H)((Ph)(Me)CHO)((R,R)-dpen) (6). Contrary to expectations, free Ru-amide and 1-phenylethanol were not the immediate products of this addition reaction. The addition reaction was reversible in THF.

An unexpected possible role of base in asymmetric catalytic hydrogenations of ketones. Synthesis and characterization of several key catalytic intermediates.

The dihydrogen compound trans-[Ru((R)-BINAP)(H)(eta2-H2)((R,R)-dpen)]+ (2', BINAP = 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl, dpen = 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine) is a proposed intermediate in asymmetric ketone hydrogenations. It quickly reacts at -80 degrees C with 1 equiv of the base KOtBu in 2-PrOH-d8/CH2Cl2-d2 under H2 to generate trans-Ru((R)-BINAP)(H)(2-PrO)((R,R)-dpen) (4). The alkoxide 4 does not react with H2 after hours under ambient conditions.

A ruthenium-dihydrogen putative intermediate in ketone hydrogenation.

The compound fac-[Ru((R)-BINAP)(H)(2-PrOH)3]+ (6) (BINAP = 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl) reacts with (R,R)-dpen (dpen = 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine) under H2 at -60 degrees C in 2-PrOH-d8/CD2Cl2 to generate the cationic dihydrogen putative intermediate trans-[Ru((R)-BINAP)(H)(eta2-H2)((R,R)-dpen)]+ (2') without H-D exchange between the hydrogen ligands and the solvent. A 1H NMR study concludes that the dihydrogen ligand in 2' does not protonate 2-PrOH to a catalytically significant extent, and that 2' requires an added base or hydride source to be an active catalyst.