Described herein is an efficient asymmetric synthesis of the potent antiarrhthymia agent MK- 0499. The route is convergent and is highlighted by two stereoselective reactions. A rutheniumcatalyzed, enantioselective hydrogenation of an enamide was developed for the preparation of the key amine intermediate. Oxazaborolidine-mediated ketone reduction was utilized to establish the alcohol stereochemistry. Optimization of this chemistry led to an ...
