Enantioselective Synthesis of Atropisomeric Biaryls using Biaryl 2,5-Diphenylphospholanes as Ligands for Palladium-Catalysed Suzuki-Miyaura Reactions

Abstract

Here we describe the development of biaryl 2,5-diphenylphospholanes as a new class of C2-symmetric, monodentate ligands for asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura (ASM) reactions. Screening of a series of exemplary phospholanes led to the identification of two ligands that were used to prepare a range of atropisomeric biaryl and heterobiaryl products with good to excellent levels of enantioselectivity (up to 97:3 e.r.) under mild conditions. DFT studies suggest that the formation of a constraining ligand pocket and coordination of one of the biaryl methoxy groups in the optimised ligands to the metal centre is crucial for restricting conformational freedom in the bond-forming step. (Figure presented.).