Chiral Ruthenium(II)–Bis(2-oxazolin-2-yl)pyridine Complexes. Asymmetric Catalytic Cyclopropanation of Olefins and Diazoacetates

A chiral ruthenium(II)–bis(2-oxazolin-2-yl)pyridine catalyst prepared in situ from optically active bis(2-oxazolin-2-yl)pyridine (Pybox-ip) (2) and [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2 (1) exhibited efficient activity for the asymmetric cyclopropanation (ACP) of styrene and several diazoacetates to give the corresponding trans- and cis-2-phenylcyclopropane-1-carboxylates (3 and 4) in good yields (66—87%). A mixture of 1 and 2 in an atmosphere of ethylene produced the trans-RuCl2(Pybox-ip)(ethylene) complex (5), which also proved to be a powerful catalyst for ACP. The stereoselectivity of the trans- and cis-cyclopropanes were from 90 : 10 up to 98 : 2, and their enantioselectivities reached 97%. A catalytic system with 5 could be used for several olefins and internal olefins. A concerted mechanism of ACP with the Ru–Pybox catalyst was postulated on the basis of the stereospecificity with deuterated styrene. Other substituents, such as ethyl, s-butyl, benzyl, and phenyl on the oxazoline rings of Pybox in place of the isoprop...