Stereocontrol in the synthesis of cyclic amino acids: a new ligand for directed hydrogenation through hydrogen bonding.

A system for the directed hydrogenation of nitrogen heterocycles is described in which hydrogen is delivered cis to a hydroxymethyl group by a rhodium catalyst with a simple phosphine ligand. The chemistry is applied to the synthesis of the hygric acid moiety of lincomycin and the pipecolic acid moiety of Argatroban. A series of control experiments indicate that the stereoselectivity is a result of a combination of both coordination and hydrogen bonding.