Ruthenium catalyst with a planar-chiral arene ligand: synthesis, separation of enantiomers, and application in C-H activation of N-methoxy-benzamides

Heating tert-butyl-tetraline with [(p-cymene)RuCl2]2 produces the racemic complex [(arene)RuCl2]2, which can be separated into enantiomers by chromatography of its diastereomeric adducts with chiral phosphine ligand. The resolved chiral complex catalyzes C-H activation of N-methoxy-benzamides and their annulation with N-vinyl-pivaloyl amide giving dihydroisoquinolones in 50-90% yields and 70:30-90:10 enantiomeric ratio.