Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic application of a new chiral P,N-indene ligand derived from (R)-BINOL

Lithiation of 2-dimethylaminoindene followed by quenching with (R)-(1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2′-diyl)]chlorophosphite and treatment with triethylamine afforded the crystallographically characterized enantiopure P,N-indene 3 in 71% isolated yield. In the course of rhodium coordination chemistry studies involving 3, the formation of the isolable complex (κ²-P,N-3)(κ¹-P,N-3)RhCl] (7) (81%) was observed, thereby confirming the propensity of this new ligand to form L_nRh(3)₂ complexes. Such coordination chemistry behavior may contribute in part to the generally poor catalytic performance exhibited by mixtures of 3 and rhodium precursor complexes in the asymmetric hydrogenation and hydrosilylation studies described herein.