Journal of Molecular Catalysis A-Chemical, Vol.219, No.2, 217-220, 2004
The asymmetric hydrogenation of 1,1,4,4,7-pentamethyl-2-methylen-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalene, a viable catalytic approach to the synthesis of non-racemic Fixolide (R)
Asymmetric hydrogenation of 1, 1,4,4,7-pentamethyl-2-methylen-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalene 2 or 1, 1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyl-1,4-dihydronaphthalene 3 leads to 1, 1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyl- 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalene 4 an immediate precursor of the fragrance Fixolide(R). Promising results (with 33% ee) have been obtained starting from olefin 2 using a cationic Iridium catalyst in combination with a chiral phosphino-oxazoline ligand. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.