A NOVEL PHOTOCATALYTIC ASYMMETRIC-SYNTHESIS OF (R)-(+)-1,1'-BI-2-NAPHTHOL DERIVATIVES BY OXIDATIVE COUPLING OF 3-SUBSTITUTED-2-NAPHTHOL WITH DELTA-[RU(MENBPY)3]2+ [MENBPY = 4,4'-DI(1R,2S,5R)-(-)-MENTHOXYCARBONYL-2,2'-BIPYRIDINE], WHICH POSSESSES MOLECULAR HELICITY

The asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(+)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol [or (R)-(+)-1,1'-bi-3-methoxy-2-naphthol] from 2-naphthol (or 3-methoxy-2-naphthol) is performed photocatalytically by using the chiral ruthenium complex, M(C3)-DELTA-[Ru(menbpy)3]2+ [M(C3) = counterclockwise molecular helicity along the C3 axis, menbpy = 4,4'-di(1R,2S,5R)-(-)-menthoxycarbonyl-2,2'-bipyridine] as a photosensitizer and [Co(acac)3] (acac- = acetylacetonato) as an oxidant.