Enantioselective Ruthenium(II)-Catalyzed Aldehyde Arylations

Significance

The authors report a ruthenium(II)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to aryl aldehydes. The catalytic system is more active than the corresponding rhodium(I) complexes. The scope is broad for boronic acids and aldehydes with negligible effects from the steric and electronic character of the substituents. However, the yields and enantioselectivities are best for unsubstituted boronic acids.