Geology

Organic chemistry

Asymmetric hydrogenation

Combinatorial chemistry

Stereochemistry

Oceanography

Enantioselective synthesis

Catalysis

Chemistry

Substrate (aquarium)

Functional group

Polymer

Manganese

Pincer movement

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

A series of MnI complexes containing lutidine-based chiral pincer ligands with modular and tunable structures has been developed. The complex shows unprecedentedly high activities (up to 9800 TON; TON=turnover number), broad substrate scope (81 examples), good functional-group tolerance, and excellent enantioselectivities (85-98 % ee) in the hydrogenation of various ketones. These aspects are rare in earth-abundant metal catalyzed hydrogenations. The utility of the protocol have been demonstrated in the asymmetric synthesis of a variety of key intermediates for chiral drugs. Preliminary mechanistic investigations indicate that an outer-sphere mode of substrate-catalyst interactions probably dominates the catalysis.

Lutidine‐Based Chiral Pincer Manganese Catalysts for Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Ketones