Enantioenrichment of a tungsten dearomatization agent utilizing chiral acids.

A method is described for the resolution of the versatile dearomatization reagent TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-benzene), in which the 1,3-dimethoxybenzene (DMB) analogue of this complex is synthesized. In turn, the coordinated arene of TpW(NO)(PMe3)(DMB) is protonated with either D or L dibenzoyl tartaric acid (DBTH2) in a butanone/water or 2-pentanone/water solution. Sustained stirring of this mixture results in the selective precipitation of a single form of the diastereomeric salt [TpW(NO)(PMe3)(DMBH)](DBTH). After isolation, the salt can be redissolved, and the DMB ligand can be deprotonated and exchanged for benzene to produce the desired product TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-benzene) in either its R or S form. The absolute configuration of the tungsten stereocenter in TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-benzene) can be determined in either case by substituting the naturally occurring terpene (S)-β-pinene for benzene and evaluating the 2D NMR spectrum of the corresponding β-pinene complex.