A comparison between oxazoline-imidazolinylidene, -imidazolylidine, -benzimidazolylidene hydrogenation catalysts.

Imidazolinylidene, imidazolylidine, benzimidazolylidene complexes 1a-c were prepared and tested in asymmetric hydrogenations of a series of largely unfunctionalized alkenes. Similarities and differences in the catalytic performance of these complexes were rationalized in terms of the predicted mechanisms of these reactions, and their relative tendencies to generate protons under the hydrogenation conditions.