Highly Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Quinoline and Pyridine Derivatives with Iridium-(P-Phos) Catalyst

The use of a chiral iridium catalyst generated in situ from the (cyclooctadiene)iridium chloride dimer, [Ir(COD)Cl]2, the P‐Phos ligand [4,4′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐2,2′,6,6′‐tetramethoxy‐3,3′‐bipyridine] and iodine (I2) for the asymmetric hydrogenation of 2,6‐substituted quinolines and trisubstituted pyridines [2‐substituted 7,8‐dihydroquinolin‐5(6H)‐one derivatives] is reported. The catalyst worked efficiently to hydrogenate a series of quinoline derivatives to provide chiral 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinolines in high yields and up to 96% ee. The hydrogenation was carried out at high S/C (substrate to catalyst) ratios of 2000–50000, reaching up to 4000 h−1 TOF (turnover frequency) and up to 43000 TON (turnover number). The catalytic activity is found to be additive‐controlled. At low catalyst loadings, decreasing the amount of additive I2 was necessary to maintain the good conversion. The same catalyst system could also enantioselectively hydrogenate trisubstituted pyridines, affording the chiral hexahydroquinolinone derivatives in nearly quantitative yields and up to 99% ee. Interestingly, increasing the amount of I2 favored high reactivity and enantioselectivity in this case. The high efficacy and enantioselectivity enable the present catalyst system of high practical potential.