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The cobalt-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of dehydro-sitagliptin was studied and applied to the synthesis of sitagliptin (Januvia®). Catalyst discovery efforts were accelerated by the application of a general method for the synthesis of cationic bis(phosphine) cobalt η6-arene complexes. One-electron oxidation of bis(phosphine) cobalt(II) dialkyl complexes in the presence of arenes furnished the corre-sponding, bench stable cobalt precatalysts, [(P-P)Co(η6-C6H6)][BArF4]. Asymmetric hydrogenation utilized 0.5 mol% of the optimal catalyst, [(R,R)-(iPrDuPhos)Co(η6-C6H6)][BArF4] in THF solution and produced sitagliptin in >99% yield with 97% ee. Cobalt catalysts were compatible with a range of solvents and maintained excellent activity and selectivity after standing in air in the solid state for two weeks. Deuterium labeling studies support an enamine-imine tautomerization process resulting in reduction of the metalated imine. Notably, state-of-the-art neutral bis(phosphine) cobalt precatalysts were ineffective, emphasizing the utility of a class of cationic cobalt precatalyst. 

Abstract Intermediates relevant to cobalt‐catalyzed alkene hydroformylation have been isolated and evaluated in fundamental organometallic transformations relevant to aldehyde formation. The 18‐electron (R,R)‐(^iPrDuPhos)Co(CO)₂H has been structurally characterized, and it promotes exclusive hydrogenation of styrene in the presence of 50 bar of H₂/CO gas (1:1) at 100 °C. Deuterium‐labeling studies established reversible 2,1‐insertion of styrene into the Co−D bond of (R,R)‐(^iPrDuPhos)Co(CO)₂D. Whereas rapid β‐hydrogen elimination from cobalt alkyls occurred under an N₂atmosphere, alkylation of (R,R)‐(^iPrDuPhos)Co(CO)₂Cl in the presence of CO enabled the interception of (R,R)‐(^iPrDuPhos)Co(CO)₂C(O)CH₂CH₂Ph, which upon hydrogenolysis under 4 atm H₂produced the corresponding aldehyde and cobalt hydride, demonstrating the feasibility of elementary steps in hydroformylation. Both the hydride and chloride derivatives, (X=H⁻, Cl⁻), underwent exchange with free¹³CO. Under reduced pressure, (R,R)‐(^iPrDuPhos)Co(CO)₂Cl underwent CO dissociation to form (R,R)‐(^iPrDuPhos)Co(CO)Cl.