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Ir-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation: Ligands, substrates and mechanism
Klas Källström1, Ian Munslow, Pher G Andersson
1Uppsala Universitet, Avd. f. Organisk Kemi, Kemiska Institutionen, Box 559, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden.
Abstract:
Relatively air and moisture tolerant cationic iridium complexes, with chiral non-racemic N,P-ligands and weakly coordinating counter ions, are efficient catalysts in the asymmetric hydrogenation of olefins. Unfunctionalised olefins are particularly difficult substrates because, in general, a polar group adjacent to the alkene bond is required for high catalytic activity and enantioselectivity. The applicability towards a variety of substrates and choice of ligands reported thus far in the literature, as well as the mechanism, selectivity issues and the importance of the anion are also discussed.
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