Highly Regio- and Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Conjugated α-Substituted Dienoic Acids.

Highly regio- and enantioselective hydrogenation of conjugated α-substituted dienoic acids was realized for the first time using Trifer-Rh complex, providing a straightforward method for the synthesis of chiral α-substituted γ,δ-unsaturated acids. DFT calculations revealed N+H-O hydrogen bonding interaction is formed to stabilize the transition state and the coordination of 4,5-double bond to Rh(III) center would facilitate the reductive elimination process. This hydrogenation provided a gram-scale synthesis of the precursor of sacubitril.