Stereoselective pinacol coupling of planar chiral (benzaldehyde)Cr(Co)3, (benzaldimine)Cr(CO)3, ferrocenecarboxaldehyde and (dienal)Fe(CO)3 complexes with samarium diiodide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(98)00778-9

An intermolecular pinacol coupling of the Planar chiral tricarbonylchromium complexes of o-substituted benzaldehydes or benzaldimines with samarium(II) diiodide in THF produces exclusively threo 1.2-diols or 1,2-diamines in an optically pure form, while the corresponding racemic o- substituted benzaldehyde or benzaldimine chromium complexes give a mixture of threo and erythro pinacol coupling products in a various ratio depending upon the nature of o-substituent. Similarly, planar chiral 2-substituted ferrocenecarboxaldehydes and (dienal)Fe(CO)₃ produce the corresponding 1.2- diols with high stereoselectivity. The generated transition metal-complexed ketyl radical intermediates are configurationally stable with restriction to a rotation about C(α)-C(ipso) bond.