TAKASAGO and Prof. Ohkuma (Hokkaido University) have co-published a paper entitled " Ru(η¹-BH₄)(daipena)(diphosphine): Ruthenabicyclic borohydride complexes for asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones and asymmetric formal hydroamination of allylic alcohols under base-free conditions " in Tetrahedron, a journal published by Elsevier.

Tetrahedron. 2023, 149, 133705.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tet.2023.133705

We report on the development and application of novel Ru catalysts that exhibit high catalytic activity under neutral conditions. The Ru catalyst we have already developed (RUCY^®) exhibits extremely high catalytic activity and stereoselectivity in the asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones. However, the need for a base restricts the asymmetric hydrogenation of base-labile ketones. We have found that novel Ru catalyst, in which the Cl ligand of RUCY^® is converted to the η¹-BH₄ ligand, enables highly stereoselective asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones under base-free conditions. Furthermore, the asymmetric formal hydroamination of racemic allylic alcohols without the addition of an inorganic base was achieved to obtain chiral γ-amino alcohol with high stereoselectivity.

This paper has been selected for the 2023 Editors' Choice Collection due to its special importance, great novelty, or broad significance.