Enantioselective tandem reaction over a site-isolated bifunctional catalyst

Abstract

Construction of a site-isolated heterogeneous catalyst to realize the compatibility of bimetallic complexes for a feasible tandem reaction is a significant challenge in heterogeneous asymmetric catalysis. Herein, taking advantage of yolk–shell-structured mesoporous silica, we assemble an active site-isolated bifunctional catalyst through assembly of organopalladium-functionality into silicate channels as an outer shell and chiral organoruthenium-functionality onto silicate yolk as an inner core, realizing the one-pot enantioselective tandem reaction from Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira coupling to Ru-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation. As presented in this study, this tandem Sonogashira coupling–asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of haloacetophenones and arylacetylenes affords various chiral conjugated alkynols with high yields and up to 99% enantioselectivity. Moreover, a catalyst can also be recovered easily and recycled repeatedly, making it an interesting feature in a practical organic transformation.