Preparation of a polymer-supported chiral 1,2-diamine and its application to the asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic ketones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/j.tetasy.2007.12.002

Polymer-supported chiral 1,2-diamines were prepared by two methods including (1) chemical modification of a Merrifield-type resin with a chiral 1,2-diamine and (2) polymerization of a 1,2-diamine monomer. The polymeric complex formed by the polymer-supported 1,2-diamine and RuCl₂-BINAP was used for the asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic ketones to afford the corresponding secondary alcohols in quantitative yields with high enantioselectivities up to 99% ee in the asymmetric hydrogenation. The polymeric catalyst could be reused many times without any loss of activity or enantioselectivity.