A new rhodium catalyst is described that gives 99% regioselectivity in linear aldehyde in the hydroformylation of internal and terminal olefins. High-pressure NMR spectroscopic data verify an energetically preferred bis-equatorial mode of coordination for the bidentate phosphite ligand in the hydride resting state of the catalyst. Experimental FTIR spectra are compared with the individual spectra of the e,e and e,a isomers of [HRh(CO)2(P∩P)] calculated from density functional theory.

Abstractβ‐Diketonato borate betaines 2 are readily accessible by the reaction of β‐dicarbonyl compounds 1 with BF3·OEt2. Reaction of borates 2 with L‐valine diethylamide (3a) gives almost exclusively the exocyclic enamines 4 as the kinetic products. In contrast, direct, acid catalyzed conversion of β‐diketones 1 with the chiral auxiliary 3a yield the endocyclic enamines 5 as the thermodynamic products. Both enamines 4 and 5 give products with quaternary stereocenters in high selectivity in copper‐catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions with methyl vinyl ketone (8). But interestingly, exo‐ and endocyclic enamines are complementary with respect to stereochemistry of the subsequent Michael reactions since they give stereocenters with opposite configurations. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003)

Regioselective enamine formation from cyclic beta-diketones 1 is obtained by the appropriate choice of activating agent: Brønsted acid catalyzed condensation gives endocyclic enamines 3 as the thermodynamically favored products. Activation with Lewis acid BF(3).OEt(2) affords betaines 8 as intermediate products, which can be reacted with L-valine diethylamide (2) to preferentially furnish exocyclic enamines 4 as kinetic products. Derivatives with quaternary stereocenters were accessible from both isomeric enamines by using asymmetric, copper(II)-catalyzed Michael reactions at ambient temperature. Both regioisomers afford the triketones 7 with the same constitution but bearing the opposite absolute configuration at the quaternary stereocenter. Thus, both enantiomers of the product are prepared by using the same chiral auxiliary derived from L-valine.

Several strategies for the immobilization of a L-valine-derived auxiliary on a Merrifield resin and on poly(ethylene glycol) are reported. The latter is shown to work excellently in asymmetric copper(II)-catalyzed Michael reactions of cyclic β-oxo esters 2 with methyl vinyl ketone (4), yielding the corresponding addition products 5 with quaternary stereocenter in selectivities of 97-99 % ee. The PEG-supported auxiliary 1d can be precipitated from diethyl ether solutions

The copper-catalyzed conversion of exo-cyclic enamines 4a-c with methyl vinyl ketone (2) yields spirocyclic products 6a-c in a sequence of Michael and aldol reaction. The application of the chiral auxiliary L-valine diethylamide results in the formation of quaternary stereocenters with high enantiomeric excess. The configuration of intermediate imine 5a is determined to be S. Thus, exocyclic enamines 4 yield S-configured spiroketones 6, whereas, as shown for spiroketone ent-6c, reaction of endo-cyclic enamines such as 1 generates the opposite configuration in the products applying the same auxiliary L-valine diethylamide 9.Scheme 1 Copper-catalyzed, auxiliary-assisted asymmetric Michael reaction. Reagents and conditions: a) 1. Cu(OAc) 2 ⋅H 2 O (5 mol%), 2 (2 equiv), 16 h, 23°C, acetone, 2. HCl (1 moldm -3 ), 0°C, 2-3 h.