Planar-chiral arene ruthenium complexes: synthesis, separation of enantiomers, and application for catalytic C–H activation

Abstract

Heating tert-butyl-tetraline with [(p-cymene)RuCl₂]₂ produces the racemic complex [(arene)RuCl₂]₂, which can be separated into enantiomers by chromatography of its diastereomeric adducts with chiral phosphine ligand. The resolved chiral complex catalyzes C–H activation of N-methoxy-benzamides and their annulation with N-vinyl-pivaloyl amide giving dihydroisoquinolones in 50–80% yields and with 40–80% enantiomeric excess.