Synlett 2005(15): 2301-2304  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-872662
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

A Sterically Modified (Salen)Chromium(III) Complex - An Efficient Catalyst for High-Pressure Asymmetric Allylation of Aldehydes

Piotr Kwiatkowskia, Wojciech Chaładaja, Janusz Jurczak*a,b
a Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
b Department of Chemistry, Warsaw University, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
Fax: +48(22)6326681; e-Mail: jurczak@icho.edu.pl;
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Publication History

Received 2 July 2005
Publication Date:
08 August 2005 (online)

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Abstract

A novel (salen)chromium(III) catalyst with a modified salen ligand was synthesised in a simple way starting from readily available precursors. High-pressure allylation reaction of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with allyltributyltin upon application of 1 mol% of a modified (salen)chromium(III) complex provides ­homoallylic alcohols in good yield and with high enantioselectivity (up to 92%). The catalyst reveals higher enantioselectivity than the classic Jacobsen’s complex.