Enantioselective iron/bisquinolyldiamine ligand‐catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction of 2‐naphthols

Abstract

An iron‐catalyzed asymmetric oxidative homo‐coupling of 2‐naphthols for the synthesis of 1,1′‐Bi‐2‐naphthol (BINOL) derivatives is reported. The coupling reaction provides enantioenriched BINOLs in good yields (up to 99%) and moderate enantioselectivities (up to 81:19 er) using an iron‐complex generated in situ from Fe(ClO4)2 and a bisquinolyldiamine ligand [(1R,2R)‐N1,N2‐di(quinolin‐8‐yl)cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine, L1]. A number of ligands (L2–L8) and the analogs of L1, with various substituents and chiral backbones, were synthesized and examined in the oxidative coupling reactions.