Readily available ruthenium complex for efficient dynamic kinetic resolution of aromatic α-hydroxy ketones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ol500764q

A ruthenium complex formed from commercially available [Ru(p-cymene)Cl ₂]₂ and 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane catalyzes the racemization of aromatic α-hydroxy ketones very efficiently at room temperature. The racemization is fully compatible with a kinetic resolution catalyzed by a lipase from Pseudomonas stutzeri. This is the first example of dynamic kinetic resolution of α-hydroxy ketones at ambient temperature in which the metal and enzyme catalysts work in concert in one pot at room temperature to give quantitative yields of esters of α-hydroxy ketones with very high enantioselectivity.