Asymmetric hydrogenation of 3,4-hexanedione over PtSn catalysts

Abstract

In this work, some results of the liquid-phase racemic and enantioselective hydrogenation of 3,4-hexanedione are presented. The catalysts employed were platinum-based, supported on SiO2. Monometallic catalysts were modified with organotin precursors either chiral (hexa-menthylditin, Men3Sn–SnMen3) or achiral (tetrabutyltin, SnBu4), and they were obtained via surface organometallic chemistry on metals techniques. Asymmetric system was selective to 4-hydroxyhexan-3-one, the enantiomeric excess achieved being 17%.