Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Thiophenes and Benzothiophenes

Abstract

An efficient and highly asymmetric ruthenium-N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed hydrogenation of substituted thiophenes and benzothiophenes is described, providing a new strategy for the formation of valuable enantiomerically pure tetrahydrothiophenes and 2,3-dihydrobenzothiophenes.