10.1002/cctc.201601220
ChemCatChem
COMMUNICATION
Synthesis of chiral polyamides containing a (R,R)-1,2-
diphenylethylenediamine monosulfonamide structure and their application
to asymmetric transfer hydrogenation catalysis
Shinichi Itsuno,*[a] and Shotaro Takahashi[a]
Abstract: A chiral main-chain polyamide containing a (R,R)-1,2-
diphenylethylenediamine monotoluenesulfonamide (TsDPEN) repeat
unit was prepared. Polycondensation of dicarboxylic acid dichloride
Polymeric chiral ligands prepared from TsDPEN monomer and
amphiphilic achiral monomers, followed by complexation with
transition metals, showed high catalytic activity in asymmetric
with the chiral bisaniline of N-Boc-protected TsDPEN was successful, transfer hydrogenation.[12d,15] Interestingly, chiral main-chain
affording a chiral polyamide with TsDPEN repeat unit as the chiral
ligand structure. Treatment of the main-chain polymer chiral ligand
with transition metal complexes, such as [IrCl2Cp*]2, [RhCl2Cp*]2,
and [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2, afforded polymer chiral metal complexes.
Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of a cyclic sulfonamide was
efficiently catalyzed by the chiral TsDPEN polymer–metal complex,
giving an optically active cyclic sulfonylamine in quantitative
conversion with high enantioselectivities. The polymer catalyst was
easily recovered from the reaction mixture and reused several times
without any loss in catalytic activity and enantioselectivity.
polymers containing TsDPEN ligands as repeat units have not
been synthesized. The introduction of a functional group onto
TsDPEN phenyl group is necessary for this purpose. We
previously synthesized (R,R)-N,N’-di(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-1,2-
bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-diaminoethane (dihydroxy DPEN),
followed by the introduction of 4-vinylbenzyl ether, which was
then polymerized under radical polymerization conditions to
obtain polymeric chiral (R,R)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine
(DPEN) ligands.[16] This chiral polymer was successfully used as
a chiral ligand in ketone-hydrogenation catalysts. However, the
synthesis of dihydroxy DPEN is tedious and low yielding,
requiring optical resolution of racemic dihydroxy DPEN after
separation of the meso compound. We also attempted the direct
introduction of functionality onto the phenyl ring of chiral DPEN,
which is commercially available, but all attempts at phenyl ring
halogenation failed.[17] We then decided to introduce amino
groups on both phenyl groups in TsDPEN. Nitration followed by
reduction successfully yielded a bisamino-DPEN derivative.
Using these aromatic amino functionalities, polycondensation
with diacid dichloride has been investigated. This is the first
example of the synthesis of main-chain TsDPEN polymers. The
chiral polyamides containing a TsDPEN repeat unit in their main
chain were subsequently investigated as polymer ligands for
catalysts of the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of cyclic
sulfonimines.
Chiral synthetic polymers have attracted much attention due to
their unique properties, such as chiroptical properties, and their
applications, including asymmetric catalysis[1] and chiral
separation chemistry.[2,3] In asymmetric catalysis, the
immobilization of chiral catalysts onto solids, such as crosslinked
polystyrene[4,5] and silica,[6] has been frequently used to prepare
recoverable heterogeneous catalysts for asymmetric synthesis.
In addition to their easy recoverability and reusability, polymer
chains can provide specific chiral catalyst conformations in their
microenvironment, which sometimes increase the reactivity and
stereoselectivity in asymmetric reactions.[7] More precise control
of the microenvironment might be possible with chiral polymers
containing chiral catalyst sites in their main chain structure,
instead of side chain immobilization. Recently, some main-chain
chiral polymers have been synthesized and used as polymeric
chiral ligands or catalysts.[8,9]
The first step of chiral TsDPEN monomer synthesis was the
introduction of nitro groups onto the phenyl rings of DPEN.
Conventional nitration of the phenyl rings of DPEN proceeded
smoothly to afford bis(m-nitrophenyl)-1,2-diaminoethane 1, as
shown in Scheme 1.[18] Sulfonamide formation was then
conducted at one of the amino groups in 1, giving 2 (Scheme 2).
Another amino group in 2 was then Boc-protected to afford 3.
The nitro groups in 3 were then hydrogenated to amines, giving
chiral bisaniline 4, which was the monomer for polymerization.
Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation is a promising method
for the generation of chiral alcohols and amines. TsDPEN–
transition
metal
complexes
as
asymmetric
transfer
hydrogenation catalysts, first discovered by Ikariya and Noyori in
1995, are some of the most powerful catalysts for the
asymmetric reduction of C=O[10] and C=N.[11] Polymer-
supported[12] and silica-supported variants[13] of TsDPEN have
been developed, some of which showed high levels of catalytic
activity and enantioselectivity. We have also developed
crosslinked polymer-immobilized TsDPENs, which were
complexed with [IrCl2Cp*] to give polymeric chiral catalysts.[14]
[a]
Prof. Dr. S. Itsuno, S. Takahshi
Department of Environmental & Life Sciences
Toyohashi University of Technology
Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi 441-8580 Japan
E-mail: itsuno@ens.tut.ac.jp
Supporting information for this article is given via a link at the end of
the document.
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