Synlett 2007(14): 2213-2216  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-985570
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Enantioselective Rh-Catalyzed Addition of Arylboronic Acids to N-Tosylarylimines

Chiara Marellia, Chiara Montib, Cesare Gennari*b, Umberto Piarulli*a
a Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Ambientali, Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy
Fax: +39(031)2386449; e-Mail: umberto.piarulli@uninsubria.it;
b Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Industriale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Venezian 21, 20133 Milano, Italy
Fax: +39(02)50314072; e-Mail: cesare.gennari@unimi.it;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 13 June 2007
Publication Date:
13 August 2007 (online)

Abstract

A highly enantioselective rhodium-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to N-tosylarylimines is described, using chiral ­binaphtholic phosphite and phosphoramidite ligands. The best ee values (76-99%), associated with moderate to good chemical yields, were obtained with binaphtholic phosphoramidite ligands containing a bulky chiral amine.

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General Procedure for the Arylation of N -Tosylaryl-imines: In a flame-dried Schlenk tube flushed with nitrogen, Rh(acac)(C2H4)2 (1.2 mg, 4.65 µmol, 3 mol%) and the ligand (9.30 µmol, 6 mol%) were dissolved in anhyd dioxane (0.75 mL). After stirring for 30 min at r.t., LiF (1.5 mmol) and the substrate (0.15 mmol) were added followed by the appropriate arylboronic acid (0.75 mmol). The resulting mixture was stirred at 50 °C for 24 h, quenched with H2O (3 mL) and extracted with CH2Cl2 (3 mL). The organic phase was dried over Na2SO4 and the solvent was evaporated under vacuum. The residue was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (n-hexane-EtOAc, 7:3) affording the N-tosyl-diarylmethylamine as a white solid.