Bis-Cyclometalated Indazole Chiral-at-Rhodium Catalyst for Asymmetric Photoredox Cyanoalkylations

Abstract

A new class of bis-cyclometalated rhodium(III) catalysts containing two inert cyclometalated 6-tert-butyl-2-phenyl-2H-indazole ligands and two labile acetonitriles is introduced. Single enantiomers (>99 % ee) were obtained through a chiral-auxiliary-mediated approach using a monofluorinated salicyloxazoline. The new chiral-at-metal complex is capable of catalyzing the visible-light-induced enantioselective α-cyanoalkylation of 2-acyl imidazoles in which it serves a dual function as the chiral Lewis acid catalyst for the asymmetric radical chemistry and at the same time as the photoredox catalyst for the visible-light-induced redox chemistry (up to 80 % yield, 4:1 d.r., and 95 % ee, 12 examples).