Ru(II)-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation using chiral diphenylphosphino(oxazolinyl)quinoline ligands

Abstract

Several chiral 8-diphenylphosphino-2-oxazolinylquinolines were synthesized starting from 2-cyano-8-hydroxyquinoline. These N,N,P-chelates were successfully employed in the Ru(II)-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation reactions of diazo-alkenes. The catalytic system exhibited good reactivity and high thermal stability and provided high yields in the intramolecular cyclopropanation, albeit somewhat decreased enantioselectivities compared to known catalytic systems. A dramatic dependency of the enantioselectivity on the substituents of the oxazoline ring was observed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.