Rhodium(I) bisaldimine complexes in transfer hydrogenation

Abstract

The reactions of hydrogen transfer from 2-propanol on acetophenone in the presence of the system [Rh(cod)Cl]₂–L] (L is bisaldimine ligands based on (R,R)-1,2-cyclohexanediimine and pyridine-, quinoline-, and thiophenecarboxaldehyde) were studied. Rhodium(I) complexes with optically active ligand showed a high catalytic activity (up to 345 h^–1) and moderate enantioselectivity [up to 55% ee of (R)-1-phenyethanol]. The structure of rhodium complex with N,N'-(1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl-bis[1-(pyridine-2-yl)methanimine] was determined on the basis of the data of ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations.