Chiral Dawson-Type Hybrid Polyoxometalate Catalyzes Enantioselective Diels-Alder Reactions

Abstract

Can achiral organocatalysts linked to chiral polyanionic metal oxide clusters provide good selectivity in enantioselective C-C bond formations? The answer to this question is investigated by developing a new active hybrid polyoxometalate-based catalyst for asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction. Chirality transfer from the chiral anionic polyoxometalate to the covalently linked achiral imidazolidinone allows Diels-Alder cycloaddition products to be obtained with good yields and high enantioselectivities when using cyclopentadiene and acrylaldehydes as partners.

Keywords: Diels-Alder reaction; chirality; cycloaddition; organocatalysis; polyoxometalates.