Novel rhodium catalyst for asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene: Study of electronic and steric effects of phosphorus seven-membered ring ligands

The asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene catalysed by rhodium complexes modified by monodentate phosphepine ligands has been investigated. The effects of a systematic variation of the phosphorus substituent on catalytic activity and selectivity are reported as well as the outcome of a combinatorial approach for the formation of mixed ligands complexes with several commercially available ligands. Effective catalytic systems have been devised for the reaction that provide for full conversion within 24h and regioselectivity up to 96% in the branched aldehyde and enantioselectivities up to 48%. The use of bidentate ligands built up by binaphthyl-supported seven-membered phosphacyclic units does not allow for further improvement in the reaction outcome. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.