Application of a planar chiral η5-cyclopentadienylrhenium(I)tricarbonyl complex in asymmetric catalysis: Highly enantioselective phenyl transfer to aldehydes

Abstract

A novel planar chiral cyrhetrene 1 has been identified as an efficient catalyst precursor for the asymmetric synthesis of diarylmethanol compounds 2 by phenylation of aldehydes. Compared to the corresponding ferrocene derivative, the performance of the cyrhetrene is superior or at least equally as good and gives excellent enantioselectivities even with catalyst loadings as low as 2 mol%.