The Development of Phosphine-Free Tethered Ruthenium(II) Catalysts for the Asymmetric Reduction of Ketones and Imines

In this account, we describe the design, synthesis and applications of tethered versions of the Ru(II)/N-tosyl-1,2-diphenylethylene-1,2-diamine (TsDPEN) class of catalyst that are commonly used for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation and asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones and imines. The review covers key aspects of the reaction mechanisms and examples of applications, including industrial applications to pharmaceutically important target molecules. In addition, closely related catalysts based on Rh(III) and Ir(III) are also described.