ChemInform Abstract: Chiral Pyridylimidazolines: Synthesis, Arene Ruthenium Complexes and Application in Asymmetric Catalysis.

Condensation of (1S,2S)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine and 2-cyanopyridine gives the chiral pyridylimidazoline (L-1), deprotonation followed by treatment with methyl iodide gives an NMe derivative (L-2). The pyridylimidazolines react with [RuCl2(mes)](2) (mes=1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) in the presence of NaSbF6 to give [RuCl(L)(mes)][SbF6] (1,2) which have been characterised by X-ray crystallography. After treatment with AgSbF6 both complexes are enantioselective catalysts for the Diels-Alder reaction of methacrolein and cyclopentadiene.