Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Heterocyclic Diaryl Ketones:Facile Access to Key Intermediate of Baloxavir

Transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation has been proven to be a powerful approach for the synthesis of chiral alcohols.Herein,a highly efficient and enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of dibenzoheptaheterocyclic ketones catalyzed by an arene-tethered TsDPEN-based Rh(ll)catalyst has been successfully developed,and a variety of dibenzoheptaheterocyclic ketones were reduced by a 1/1 mixture of formic acid and DBU(1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene)with high yields and enantioselectivities.With this method,the asymmetric reduction of 7,8-difluorodibenzo[b,e]thiepin-11(6H)-one has been realized,providing the key intermediate of baloxavir marboxil with>99% yield and>99% ee at a substrate/catalyst molar ratio of 1000.