Parallel ligand screening on olefin mixtures in asymmetric hydroformylation reactions

Org Lett. 2004 Sep 16;6(19):3277-80. doi: 10.1021/ol0487938.

Abstract

[reaction: see text] Herein we describe a new protocol for catalyst evaluation in asymmetric hydroformylation reactions where multisubstrate screening is performed in an array of parallel reactors. This method was successfully demonstrated using a mixture of styrene, allyl cyanide, and vinyl acetate. Using this screening methodology, a set of phosphite ligands was evaluated and led to the discovery of a bisphosphite ligand that gave 88% ee and unprecedented >100:1 branched:linear regioselectivity in asymmetric hydroformylation of vinyl acetate.