Ruthenium-catalyzed sequential reactions: deracemization of secondary benzylic alcohols.

The deracemization of secondary benzylic alcohols proceeds successfully by a two-step process with the appropriate combination of two different ruthenium complexes for catalysis in the first oxidation and second reduction steps. The sequential catalytic system provides a novel approach to obtaining optically active alcohols, including diols, in high yields with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 95% ee), in contrast to the conventional kinetic resolution of racemic alcohols.