NEW CHIRAL C3-SYMMETRICAL TRIPODAL PHOSPHANES

Compared to bidentate chiral ligands with C2 symmetry, tridentate ligands with C3 symmetry give rise to a reduced number of non-equivalent residual coordination sites in octahedral transition metal complexes. Hence, an increased enantioselectivity can be expected in catalytic reactions. The tripod ligands 1 and 2, which are readily accessible from 2, 5-dimethyl-1-phenylphospholanes, have been examined as ligands in Rh complexes.