Asymmetric catalytic 1,2-dihydrophosphination of secondary 1,2-diphosphines - direct access to free P*- and P*,C*-diphosphines

A 1,2-dihydrophosphination of bis(phenylphosphino)ethane with a wide range of activated olefins was achieved in a catalytic manner with enantiomeric and diastereomeric excess of up to >99% and 44% respectively. The protocol can be extended to selected substrates leading to free P- and C-chiral 1,2-diphosphines. The synthesized ligands can also undergo direct complexation onto palladium affording complexes with complete retention of stereo-integrity. (Figure presented.).Ministry of Education (MOE)Nanyang Technological UniversityThis work was supported by the Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund (AcRF-RG10/19-(S)).We are also grateful to Nanyang Technological University for Ph.D. scholarship to Teo R. H.