A Highly Effective Organocatalyst System For Reduction Of Both Ketones And Ketimines

Asymmetric reduction is one of the most active research areas in modernasymmetric synthesis. A number of highly efficient methods have been developed forthe asymmetric reduction of either ketones or ketimines. However, there have beenextremely rare examples of catalytic systems that allow for highly enantioselectivereductions of both ketones and ketimines.In this study, starting from optically pure pipecolinic acid, we designed andsynthesized a series of structurally simple and easily accessible chiral organic Lewisbasic catalysts and employed them in asymmetric reduction of ketones and ketimines.Previously our group has developed a highly enantioselective Lewis basiccatalyst for the asymmetric reduction of ketimines by trichlorosilane starting fromL-piperdine-2-carboxylic acid and (1R,2S)-2-amino-1,2-diphenylethanol. But thiscatalyst was found not to be very effective in the asymmetric reduction of ketones.Slight modifications of this catalyst has led to a new highly enantioselective catalystapplicable for the reduction of both ketones and ketimines by trichlorosilane. Underthe optimal conditions, this catalyst afforded excellent yields (up to 99%) andenantioselectivities (up to 93% ee). Moreover, an unprecedented substrate spectrumwas observed with this catalyst, which are highly effective for aromatic and aliphaticketones as well as aromatic and aliphatic ketimines. A heptacoordinate silicontransition structure and a hexacoordinate one were proposed for the reduction ofketones and ketimines, respectively.