O. Baudoin et al.
evaluated phosphoramidites L6–8,[13] which have furnished
high enantioselectivities in related Pd0-catalyzed intramolec-
2
[14]
À
ular CACHTUNGTRENNUNG(sp ) H arylation reactions (Table 1, entries 9–11).
However, these ligands did not give appreciable enantiose-
lectivities in this reaction.
We then turned our attention to the binepine family of li-
gands L9–12.[15–16] Indeed, these ligands should possess the
most similar electronic properties to trialkylphosphine li-
gands, which gave optimal results in the racemic reaction.[3e]
Gratifyingly, although binepine L9 was barely active
(Table 1, entry 12), ligands L10 and 11, bearing cyclohexyl
and tert-butyl P substituents, gave e.r. values above 70:30
(Table 1, entries 13 and 14), with a higher yield than Josi-
phos (L4; compare with Table 1, entry 5). The e.r. value
could be further improved by decreasing the temperature to
1108C (Table 1, entries 15 and 16), but we encountered
problems with reproducibility that we attributed to the
“ligand-free” background reaction (Table 1, entry 7).
As a consequence, more reliable conditions were sought
with ligand L11, by first varying the nature of the Pd preca-
talyst (Table 1, entries 17 and 18), then the base (Table 1,
entry 19), and finally by adding pivalic acid (PivOH;
30 mol%; Table 1, entry 20).[3c] Indeed, these last conditions
were found to provide indane 2a reproducibly in 81% yield,
with a d.r. of 6:1 and an e.r. of 78.5:21.5 at 1408C. At this
point, we were able to test NHC ligand L13, which gave an
e.r. of 97.5:2.5 in the indoline system[8a] under the same con-
ditions (Table 1, entry 21). For this system, this ligand gave
a moderate yield and an e.r. of 66:34. Applying the same re-
action conditions that were used for indolines[8a] failed to
furnish better results (Table 1, entry 22).
Scheme 2. Scope of the stereoselective synthesis of indanes. Reaction
conditions: PdACHTNUTRGNEG(UN OAc)2 (2.5 mol%), L11 (10 mol%), K2CO3 (2 equiv),
DMSO, 1408C. For each compound: yield of the isolated mixture of dia-
stereoisomers, d.r. determined by 1H NMR analysis, e.r. determined by
19F NMR analysis of the Mosher amides prepared after reduction of the
nitrile to the primary amine (2a–i) or by HPLC on a chiral phase (2j).
Absolute configurations of 2a–j were ascribed by analogy to 2k.
A final significant improvement of the reaction catalyzed
by Pd/L11 was found by using DMSO as the solvent, which
provided high diastereoselectivity (d.r.=20:1), as well as
a good yield (84%) and enantioselectivity (e.r.=79:21)
without the need for added pivalic acid (Table 1, entry 23).
In addition, no background reaction was found under these
conditions (Table 1, entry 24). At this point the more bulky
ligand L12, which was described by Fu and co-worker
during the course of our study,[17] was synthesized and tested
under these optimized conditions (Table 1, entry 25), but it
did not provide any significant improvement on L11. Finally,
the amount of catalyst could be decreased to a more reason-
yields and diastereoselectivities, and with e.r. values between
76:24 (2e) and 83:17 (2g). The absolute configuration of
indane 2d was determined to be (R,R) by derivatization to
form bromide 2k and X-ray diffraction analysis of a single
crystal (Figure 1).[20] The same absolute configuration was
ascribed to other indanes (2a–j) by analogy. In addition to
aryl bromides, the reaction was found to be applicable to
pyridine and thiophene bromides, giving rise to bicyclic
products 2i and j in good yields and stereoselectivities. In
particular, a better e.r. (9:1) was obtained for both 2i and j
than for 2a–h, indicating that reduced steric hindrance at
À
able loading (2.5 mol% Pd
(OAc)2/10 mol% L11), providing
the ortho position of the incipient CAr Pd bond has a posi-
tive influence on the enantioselectivity.
the optimized standard conditions for further studies
(Table 1, entry 26).[18]
This comparison of different chiral ligands, some of which
are known to provide good enantioselectivities in related
À
processes, shows that different asymmetric C H activation
reactions require different chiral ligands, even for closely re-
lated systems (Scheme 1). In this case, binepines appear to
be the most efficient and stereoselective ligands of the vari-
ous types tested.
Next, we studied the reaction scope with substituted aryl
bromides (Scheme 2).[19] Indanes 2a–h, bearing various
types of substituent on the benzene ring, were obtained
from the corresponding aryl bromides in consistently good
Figure 1. X-ray crystal structure of indane 2k, obtained by electrophilic
bromination of 2d (ellipsoids are shown at 30% probability).
4482
ꢂ 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 18, 4480 – 4484