BIS(4,5-DIHYDROOXAZOLYL) DERIVATIVES IN ASYMMETRIC CATALYSIS

Ready accessibility and high structural variability make C2-symmetric nitrogen-containing chelating ligands such as 1-4 attractive as ligand systems for metal-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis. The work of Pfaltz et al. on the cyclopropanation of olefins and of Brunner et al. on the hydrosilylation of acetophenone has stimulated a flood of interest in this area. The primary goal is a better understanding of the chirality transfer due to the catalytically active species generated in situ from a metal salt and the ligand.