An efficient and diastereoselective method for the synthesis of (R)-1-ferrocenylethylamines and 1-ferrocenylethyl acetate

Abstract

The imine formed from 1-acetylferrocene and (R)-(+)-1-phenylethylamine undergoes a highly diastereoselective reduction with sodium borohydride to give, after a single recrystallisation, diastereoisomerically pure (R,R) amine (2a), which has been converted to (R)-(–)-1-ferrocenylethyl acetate in high optical purity (>98%).