Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Unfunctionalized Tetrasubstituted Acyclic Olefins

Abstract

Asymmetric hydrogenation has evolved as one of the most powerfult ools to construct stereocenters.H owever,t he asymmetric hydrogenation of unfunctionalized tetrasubstituted acyclic olefins remains the pinnacle of asymmetric synthesis and an unsolved challenge.W er eport herein the discovery of an iridium catalyst for the first, generally applicable,h ighly enantio-and diastereoselective hydrogenation of such olefins and the mechanistic insights of the reaction. The power of this chemistry is demonstrated by the successful hydrogenation of awide variety of electronically and sterically diverse olefins in excellent yield and high enantio-and diastereoselectivity.