Catalytic enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to ketones using chiral biisoquinoline ligands.

• Main Author: Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Raub.
• Other Authors: Zaher Judeh
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Chemistry::Organic chemistry::Organic synthesis; DRNTU::Engineering::Chemical engineering::Biochemical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/16597
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Biisoquinolines have been known to be good chelating agents. Four chiral biisoquinoline-based ligands were synthesized and used for asymmetric catalytic addition of diethylzinc to ketones. The reaction was tested for optimal conditions – type of ligands, catalyst loading, temperature, type of solvent, and the reaction time – with acetophenone as substrate. Under the optimum reaction conditions obtained, the catalytic reaction was carried out with other various ketones to see the influence of changes to ketone structures on the enantiomeric excess and yield of the products. HPLC analysis have shown encouraging results of moderate to excellent enantioselectivities of up to 90%, thus promoting future investigations in the application of the synthesized ligands to other ketones and even other types of asymmetric additions.