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Updated: Jun 29, 2025

A Microwave-Assisted Direct Heteroarylation of Ketones Using Transition Metal Catalysis
Published on: February 16, 2020
Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated ketones via a hydrogenation/isomerization cascade
Kun Wang1,2, Saisai Niu2, Weijun Tang2
1Huzhou Key Laboratory of Green Energy Materials and Battery Cascade Utilization, School of Intelligent Manufacturing, Huzhou College, Huzhou, 313000, China.
Abstract:
Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-substituted α,β-unsaturated ketones has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of chiral α-substituted secondary alcohols with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to >99 : 1 dr, 98% ee). Mechanistic experiments suggest that the reaction proceeds via a Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of the CO bond in concert with a base-promoted allylic alcohol isomerization, and the final stereoselectivities were controlled by a DKR process during the asymmetric hydrogenation of the ketone intermediate.
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