Novel reduction of perfluoroalkyl ketones with lithium alkoxides

The reaction of tert-butyl N-(2-bromophenyl)carbamate (1) with ethyl perfluorooctanoate in the presence of tert-butyllithium did not give the desired N-(2-perfluorooctanoylphenyl)carbamate (3) but gave 1-hydroxy-1H-perfluorooctyl compound (4), which was supposed to be formed by the reduction of 3. A similar reaction of 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone with tert-butyllithium did not gave any reduction product. Detailed investigation showed that lithium ethoxide worked as the reducing agent of this abnormal reduction. By the reaction of lithium isopropoxide, an aldol product from 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone with acetone was isolated, while perfluoroheptyl or perfluoropropyl phenyl ketones were reduced by this alkoxide in a high yield without formation of the aldol adduct.     

Structurally simple chiral thioureas as chiral solvating agents in the enantiodiscrimination of α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids

C₂-Symmetrical chiral thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 were prepared in good yield by the reaction of 2 equiv of inexpensive (S)-1-phenylethylamine, or the corresponding naphthyl analog, with 1 equiv of thiophosgene in the presence of excess triethylamine. The presence of asymmetric elements in (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2, and their capacity to act as receptors for anionic species via hydrogen bonding were exploited in the development of ¹H NMR spectroscopic enantiodiscrimination of chiral carboxylic acids. In particular, the diastereomeric complexes derived from thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 with ammonium salts of the chiral acids gave rise to well separated signals of the α-hydrogens and simple integration provides the corresponding enantiomeric ratios. Furthermore, it was observed that C_α-H in the (R) enantiomers of the chiral α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids studied in this work consistently appears downfield relative to the same signals in the (S) enantiomers.     

An easy preparation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl propenyl sulfones

Sodium tridecafluorohexanesulfinate (1a) and sodium 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethanesulfinate (1b) were prepared by the treatment of 1-iodo-tridecafluorohexane and 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane with sodium dithionite in a water-acetonitrile solution. Prolonged reaction of 1a with allyl bromide in DMF afforded tridecafluorohexane 1-propenyl sulfone 2 as the only product in good yield. A similar treatment of 1b gave exclusively 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 3-propenyl sulfone 4. Bromination of 4 followed by dehydrobromination with Et₃N resulted in a mixture of 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 3-bromo-1-propenyl sulfone 6 and 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane 2-bromo-3-propenyl sulfone 7, while dehydrobromination with pyridine gave sulfone 6 practically as the only product. α,β-Unsaturated sulfones 2 and 6 were shown to be active dienophiles.     

Screening of ligands in the asymmetric metallocenethiolatocopper(I)-catalyzed allylic substitution with Grignard reagents

Screening of metallocenethiolate ligands for copper(I)-catalyzed substitution of allylic acetates with Grignard reagents has been carried out. The previously used ligand, lithium (R,S_p)-2-(1-dimethylaminoethyl)ferrocenylthiolate (4a), possessing both central and planar chirality, was the starting point for the screening. It was found that the diastereomeric ligand lithium (R,R_p)-2-(1-dimethylaminoethyl)ferrocenylthiolate (4b) exhibiting reversed planar chirality gave increased enantioselectivity in the allylic substitution, at least when cinnamyl acetate was used as a substrate. The ruthenocene-based ligand lithium (R,S_p)-2-(1-dimethylaminoethyl)ruthenocenylthiolate (4c) gave an enhanced reaction rate, but lower chiral induction. The use of disulfide bis[(R,S_p)-2-(1-dimethylaminoethyl)ferrocenyl]disulfide (7a) as a ligand precursor worked well but resulted in lower enantioselectivity.     

High asymmetric induction using a diastereomeric mixture of axially dissymmetric ligands

We have reported that our new axially dissymmetric ligand with two chiral centers, (R_a)-2,2′-bis[(R)-1H-1-hydroxyperfluorooctyl]biphenyl ((R_a)-(R)₂-1c, or tentatively called as (R_a)-(R)₂-PFCAB-7), worked as a good asymmetric inducer for the reaction of benzaldehyde with diethylzinc. Now, a mixture of (R_a)-(R)₂- and (S_a)-(R)₂-PFCAB-7 even in 1:4 ratio (−60% de) was found to give nearly the same asymmetric induction as pure (R_a)-(R)₂-PFCAB-7 of the corresponding molar percents. This result suggests that both isomers do not form complex and that (R_a)-(R)₂-PFCAB-7 accelerates the reaction and induces high asymmetry, while (S_a)-(R)₂-1c does not accelerate the reaction significantly and does not induce asymmetry at all. This ligand of low ee, (R_a)-(R)₂-PFCAB-7 of 20% ee, did not show appreciable asymmetric amplification, suggesting no formation of heterochiral complex.     

Synthesis of sulfur containing analogues of the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor 8-bromo-4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[3,4-c][1,4]benzoxazin-1-one NS2028

Sulfur analogues of the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor NS2028 1a are synthesized. Treating 8-bromo-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-3(4H)-one oxime (6) with 1,1′-thiocarbonyldiimidazole (1.1 equiv) gave the carbamothioate 8-bromo-4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[3,4-c][1,4]benzoxazine-1-thione (3a) in 83% yield. Alternatively reacting NS2028 1a with P₂S₅ (0.5 equiv) affords the carbamothioate 3a in 80% yield. Similar treatment of 8-aryl substituted NS2028 analogues 1b-d with P₂S₅ gave the carbamothioates 3b-d in 64-91% yields. Although quite stable, the carbamothioates 3a-d could be thermally isomerized in the presence of Cu (10 mol %) to afford the thiocarbamates 4a-d in high yields. Interestingly, in the case of carbamothioate 3a Pd and In metals also facilitated the isomerization. Furthermore, treatment of the thiocarbamates 4a-d with P₂S₅ (0.5 equiv) affords the carbamodithioates 5a-d in 72-89% yields. All new compounds are fully characterized including single crystal X-ray data for carbamothioate 3a and thiocarbamate 4a. Finally, a mechanism is proposed for the carbamothioate to thiocarbamate isomerization.     

Synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans and indoles by π-Lewis acidic transition metal-catalyzed cyclization of ortho-alkynylphenyl O,O- and N,O-acetals

The PtCl₂-catalyzed cyclization reaction of ortho-alkynylphenyl acetals 1 in the presence of COD (1,5-cyclooctadiene) produces 3-(α-alkoxyalkyl)benzofurans 2 in good to high yields. For example, the reaction of acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(1-octynyl)phenyl acetal (1a), acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(cyclohexylethynyl)phenyl acetal (1c), and acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(phenylethynyl)phenyl acetal (1f) in the presence of 2 mol % of platinum(II) chloride and 8 mol % of 1,5-cycloocatadiene in toluene at 30 °C gave the corresponding 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans 2a, 2c, and 2f in 91, 94, and 88% yields, respectively. Moreover, the reaction of N-methoxymethyl-2-alkynylanilines 3 was catalyzed by PdBr₂, affording the corresponding 2,3-disubstituted indoles 4 in moderate yields. For example, the reaction of N-methoxymethyl-2-(1-pentynyl)-N-tosylaniline (3a) and N-methoxymethyl-2-(phenylethynyl)-N-tosylaniline (3b) in the presence of 10 mol % of PdBr₂ in toluene at 80 °C gave 3-methoxymethyl-2-propyl-1-tosylindole (4a) and 3-methoxymethyl-2-phenyl-1-tosylindole (4b) in 33 and 33% yields, respectively.     

Platinum-catalyzed double silylations of alkynes with bis(dichlorosilyl)methanes

Bis(dichlorosilyl)methanes 1 undergo the two kind reactions of a double hydrosilylation and a dehydrogenative double silylation with alkynes 2 such as acetylene and activated phenyl-substituted acetylenes in the presence of Speier’s catalyst to give 1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilacyclopentanes 3 and 1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilacyclopent-4-enes 4 as cyclic products, respectively, depending upon the molecular structures of both bis(dichlorosilyl)methanes (1) and alkynes (2). Simple bis(dichlorosilyl)methane (1a) reacted with alkynes [R¹-CC-R²: R¹ = H, R² = H (2a), Ph (2b); R¹ = R² = Ph (2c)] at 80 °C to afford 1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilacyclopentanes 3 as the double hydrosilylation products in fair to good yields (33-84%). Among these reactions, the reaction with 2c gave a trans-4,5-diphenyl-1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilacyclopentane 3ac in the highest yield (84%). When a variety of bis(dichlorosilyl)(silyl)methanes [(Me_nCl_3 − nSi)CH(SiHCl₂)₂: n = 0 (1b), 1 (1c), 2 (1d), 3 (1e)] were applied in the reaction with alkyne (2c) under the same reaction conditions. The double hydrosilylation products, 2-silyl-1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilacyclopentanes (3), were obtained in fair to excellent yields (38-98%). The yields of compound 3 deceased as follows: n = 1 > 2 > 3 > 0. The reaction of alkynes (2a-c) with 1c under the same conditions gave one of two type products of 1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilacyclopentanes 3 and 1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilacyclopent-4-enes (4): simple alkyne 2a and terminal 2b gave the latter products 4ca and 4cb in 91% and 57% yields, respectively, while internal alkyne 2c afforded the former cyclic products 3cc with trans form between two phenyl groups at the 3- and 4-carbon atoms in 98% yield, respectively. Among platinum compounds such as Speier’s catalyst, PtCl₂(PEt₃)₂, Pt(PPh₃)₂(C₂H₄), Pt(PPh₃)₄, Pt[ViMeSiO]₄, and Pt/C, Speier’s catalyst was the best catalyst for such silylation reactions.     

Thermal hydrosilylation of olefin with hydrosilane. Preparative and mechanistic aspects

The reaction of trichlorosilane (1a) at 250 °C with cycloalkenes, such as cyclopentene (2a), cyclohexene (2b), cycloheptene (2c), and cyclooctene (2d), gave cycloalkyltrichlorosilanes [C_nH_2n−1SiCl₃: n = 5 (3a), 6 (3b), 7 (3c), 8 (3d)] within 6 h in excellent yields (97-98%), but the similar reactions using methyldichlorosilane (1b) instead of 1a required a longer reaction time of 40 h and afforded cycloalkyl(methyl)dichlorosilanes [C_nH_2n−1SiMeCl₂: n = 5 (3e), 6 (3f), 7 (3g), 8 (3h)] in 88-92% yields with 4-8% recovery of reactant 2. In large (2, 0.29 mol)-scale preparations, the reactions of 2a and 2b with 1a (0.58 mol) under the same condition gave 3a and 3b in 95% and 94% isolated yields, respectively. The relative reactivity of four hydrosilanes [HSiCl_3−mMe_m: m = 0-3] in the reaction with 2a indicates that as the number of chlorine-substituent(s) on the silicon increases the rate of the reaction decreases in the following order: n = 3 > 2 > 1 ? 0. In the reaction with 1a, the relative reactivity of four cycloalkenes (ring size = 5-8) decreases in the following order: 2d > 2a > 2c > 2b. Meanwhile linear alkenes like 1-hexene undergo two reactions of self-isomerization and hydrosilylation with hydrosilane to give a mixture of the three isomers (1-, 2-, and 3-silylated hexanes). In this reaction, the reactivity of the terminal 1-hexene is higher than the internal 2- and 3-hexene. The redistribution of hydrosilane 1 and the polymerization of olefin 2 occurred rarely under the thermal reaction condition.     

Synthesis of three novel chiral diamines derived from (S)-proline and their evaluation as precursors of diazaborolidines for the catalytic borane-mediated enantioselective reduction of prochiral ketones

A series of chiral diazaborolidine catalysts are readily prepared in situ at 75 °C in toluene solvent and under microwave irradiation (100 W, 15 min, air cooling) using chiral diamines derived from inexpensive and commercially available (S)-proline and borane-dimethyl sulfide. Special mention deserves the synthesis of potentially versatile diamine (S)-8 [(S)-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)diphenylmethanamine], with the key step being the conversion of tertiary alcohol (S)-(1-benzylpyrrolidin-2-yl)diphenyl methanol, (S)-12, to azide (S)-13. The chiral diazaborolidine/BH₃ reagent system was successfully employed in the enantioselective reduction of prochiral ketones to give the corresponding secondary alcohols in excellent yield and with up to 96% enantiomeric purities.     

Intramolecular hydroamination/cyclization of aminoalkenes catalyzed by diamidobinaphthyl magnesium- and zinc-complexes

Reaction of 2 equiv of n-Bu₂Mg and Et₂Zn with the chiral l-proline-derived axial chiral tetraamines (S,S,S)-1 and (R,S,S)-1 gave the chiral bimetallic complexes [M₂{(S,S,S)-DABN(MeProline)₂}{R}₂] (M=Mg, R=n-Bu ((S,S,S)-2); M=Zn, R=Et ((S,S,S)-3)) and [M₂{(R,S,S)-DABN(MeProline)₂}{R}₂] (M=Mg, R=n-Bu ((R,S,S)-2)); M=Zn, R=Et ((R,S,S)-3)). The magnesium complexes showed moderate to high catalytic activity in the intramolecular hydroamination/cyclization of aminoalkenes, though enantiomeric excess was limited to 14% ee due to protolytic ligand exchange processes. The zinc complexes were less reactive and generally required higher reaction temperatures of 60-100 °C, but achieved slightly higher enantiomeric excess of up to 29% ee.     

Convenient preparation of chiral phase-transfer catalysts with conformationally fixed biphenyl core for catalytic asymmetric synthesis of α-alkyl- and α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acids: application to the short asymmetric synthesis of BIRT-377

Chiral phase-transfer catalysts (S)-1a, (S)-1b, and (S)-2 with conformationally fixed biphenyl cores were conveniently prepared from the known, easily available (S)-6,6′-dimethylbiphenyl-2,2′-diol 3 and (S)-4,5,6,4′,5′,6′-hexamethoxybiphenyl-2,2′-dicarboxylic acid 14, respectively, in five steps. The catalysts, (S)-1a and (S)-1b are readily applicable to asymmetric alkylation of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester with excellent enantioselectivity. In particular, catalyst (S)-1b was found to exhibit the unique temperature effect on the enantioselectivity, and asymmetric alkylation of glycine derivatives at room temperature gave higher enantiomeric excess than that at 0 °C. In addition, the catalyst (S)-2 exhibited the high catalytic performance (0.01-1 mol %) in the asymmetric alkylation of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester and N-(p-chlorophenylmethylene)alanine tert-butyl ester compared to the existing chiral phase-transfer catalysts, thereby allowing to realize a general and useful procedure for highly practical enantioselective synthesis of structurally diverse natural and unnatural α-alkyl-α-amino acids as well as α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acids. This approach is successfully applied to the short asymmetric synthesis of cell adhesion BIRT-377.     

Synthesis of a biphenyl-based axially chiral amino acid as a highly efficient catalyst for the direct asymmetric aldol reaction

A biphenyl-based axially chiral amino acid (S)-2 has been designed and synthesized. The new amino acid (S)-2 has been found to be a more efficient catalyst than (S)-1 in the direct asymmetric aldol reaction of acetone with aldehydes. For instance, the use of only 0.1 mol % of (S)-2 was sufficient to complete the reaction between acetone and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde, giving the corresponding aldol adduct in good yield with an excellent enantioselectivity.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-iodo-1-perfluoroalkyl-2(Z)-alkenes and E or Z-4-perfluoroalkylmethyl-4-en-2-ynol via Na2S2O4-promoted radical addition reaction of perfluoroalkyl iodides with allenes and the palladium-catalyzed kinetic resolution with Sonogashira coupling reaction

A Na₂S₂O₄-promoted radical addition reaction of perfluoroalkyl iodides with allenes has been studied in which a Z/E mixture of 2-iodo-1-perfluoroalkyl-2-alkenes 3 were afforded in 52-69% yields. A kinetic resolution using Sonogashira coupling reaction in MeCN using Et₂NH as the base was developed to synthesize the 2-iodo-1-perfluoroalkyl-2(Z)-alkenes (Z-3) and E-4-perfluoroalkylmethylalk-4-en-2-ynols (E-5) stereoselectively. A complete Sonogashira coupling procedure in Et₂NH at 40 °C was also developed affording a mixture of E and Z-4-perfluoroalkylmethyl-4-en-2-ynols (E-5 and Z-5), which may be easily separated by chromatography on silica gel.     

Synthesis,crystal structure and reactivity of a new pentacoordinated chiral dioxomolybdenum(VI) complex

The novel tridentate chiral ligand 2,6-bis{[(1R,2S,4R)-2-hydroxy-1,3,3-trimethyl-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl]}pyridine (1) was readily prepared by reaction of 2,6-dilithiopyridine with (R)-(−)-fenchone. Reaction of 1 with [MoO₂(acac)₂] resulted in the formation of the new metal-oxo five-coordinated complex [MoO₂(ONO)] (2) [ONO = (1 – 2H)]. The reactivity of 2 has been studied and the derivatives [MoS₂(ONO)] (3) and [MoO(O₂)(ONO)] (4) were prepared. The compounds 1–4 have been characterised by ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR, microanalysis and IR spectroscopy. Furthermore, the molecular structures of 1 and 2 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The behaviour of 2 as catalyst in oxotransfer and in nucleophilic substitution of propargylic alcohols reactions has been tested.     

Synthesis and characterization of cyclopentadienyl/alkoxo titanium dichlorides: structural analysis of monocyclopentadienyl titanium dichlorides with ligands derived from menthol and borneol

A variety of monocyclopentadienyl alkoxo titanium dichloride and bisalkoxo titanium dichloride complexes have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The titanium derivatives containing both cyclopentadienyl and various alkoxo ligands [Ti(η⁵-C₅H₅)(OR)Cl₂] (1-5) have been synthesized from the reaction of [Ti(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl₃] with 1 equivalent of the corresponding alcohol in THF in the presence of triethylamine (ROH = Adamantanol, 1R,2S,5R-(−)-menthol, 1S-endo-(−)-borneol, cis-1,3-(−)-benzylideneglycerol, 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-galactopyranose). The bisalkoxo titanium dichloride derivatives [TiCl₂(OR)₂] (6-10) have been prepared by a redistribution reaction between Ti(OR)₄ and TiCl₄ compounds 6-8 (OR = Adamantanoxy, (1R,2S,5R)-(−)menthoxy, (1S-endo)-(−)-borneoxy) and by reaction of [Ti(OR)₂(OPrⁱ)₂]₂ with CH₃COCl compounds 9 and 10 (OR = 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-galactopyranoxy, and 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranoxy). The molecular structures of 2 and 3 have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies.     

Reactions of trimethylsiloxychlorosilanes with lithium metal - On the mechanism of the formation of trimethylsiloxysilyllithium compounds LiSiRR’(OSiMe3)

The reaction pathway for the formation of the trimethylsiloxysilyllithium compounds (Me₃SiO)RR′SiLi (2a: R = Et, 2b: R = ⁱPr, 2c: R = 2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂ (Mes); 2a-c: R′ = Ph; 2d: R = R′ = Mes) starting from the conversion of the corresponding trimethylsiloxychlorosilanes (Me₃SiO)RR′SiCl (1a-d) in the presence of excess lithium in a mixture of THF/diethyl ether/n-pentane at −110 °C was investigated.The trimethylsiloxychlorosilanes (Me₃SiO)RPhSiCl (1a: R = Et, 1b: R = ⁱPr, 1c: R = Mes) react with lithium to give initially the trimethylsiloxysilyllithium compounds (Me₃SiO)RPhSiLi (2a-c). These siloxysilyllithiums 2 couple partially with more trimethylsiloxychlorosilanes 1 to produce the siloxydisilanes (Me₃SiO)RPhSi-SiPhR(OSiMe₃) (Ia-c), and they undergo bimolecular self-condensation affording the trimethylsiloxydisilanyllithium compounds (Me₃SiO)RPhSi-RPhSiLi (3a-c). The siloxydisilanes I are cleaved by excess of lithium to give the trimethylsiloxysilyllithiums (Me₃SiO)RPhSiLi (2). In the case of the two trimethylsiloxydisilanyllithiums (Me₃SiO)RPhSi-RPhSiLi (3a: R = Et, 3b: R = ⁱPr) a reaction with more trimethylsiloxychlorosilanes (Me₃SiO)RPhSiCl (1a, 1b) takes place under formation of siloxytrisilanes (Me₃SiO)RPhSi-RPhSi-SiPhR(OSiMe₃) (IIa: R = Et, IIb: R = ⁱPr) which are cleaved by lithium to yield the trimethylsiloxysilyllithiums (Me₃SiO)RPhSiLi (2a, 2b) and the trimethylsiloxydisilanyllithiums (Me₃SiO)RPhSi-RPhSiLi (3a, 3b). The dimesityl-trimethylsiloxy-silyllithium (Me₃SiO)Mes₂SiLi (2d) was obtained directly by reaction of the trimethylsiloxychlorosilane (Me₃SiO)Mes₂SiCl (1d) and lithium without formation of the siloxydisilane intermediate. Both silyllithium compounds 2 and 3 were trapped with HMe₂SiCl giving the products (Me₃SiO)RR′Si-SiMe₂H and (Me₃SiO)RPhSi-RPhSi-SiMe₂H.     

Pd(0) and Pd(II) derivatives with heteroannularly bridged chiral ferrocenyl diphosphine ligands - A stereochemical analysis

The ligands (S_c, S_p)-1-diphenylphosphino-2,1′-(1-dicyclohexylphosphinopropanediyl)ferrocene, (S_c, S_p)-PP^CyPF, and (S_c, S_p)-1-diphenylphosphino-2,1′-(1-diphenylphosphinopropanediyl)ferrocene, (S_c, S_p)-PP^PhPF, have been used in the synthesis of the new Pd(0) and Pd(II) derivatives [Pd(PP^CyPF)(DMFU)] (1) (DMFU = dimethylfumarate), [Pd(PP^CyPF)(MA)] (2) (MA = maleic anhydride), [Pd(η³-2-Me-C₃H₄)(PP)]OTf (PP = PP^CyPF, 3; PP^PhPF, 4) (OTf = triflate), [PdRR′(PP)] (R = Me, R′ = Cl, PP = PP^CyPF, 5, PP^PhPF, 6; R = R′ = Me, PP = PP^CyPF, 7, PP^PhPF, 8; R = R′ = C₆F₅, PP = PP^CyPF, 9, PP^PhPF, 10). The molecular structure of 7 has been determined by X-ray diffraction. In the cases of complexes 1-4 two isomers are formed depending on the orientation of the ancillary ligand with respect to the ferrocenyl core. The stereochemistry of these complexes has been determined. In complex 6 the two possible isomers are obtained whereas in complex 5 the derivative with the Me group trans to PPh₂ is selectively formed. Restricted rotation of the pentafluorophenyl groups with respect to the Pd-C bond has been found in 9 and 10. In all derivatives the conformation of the ferrocenyl ligand is the same as that seen by X-ray diffraction and deduced from NMR data.     

Optically active rhodium complexes with indenyl-linked phosphane ligands

The optically active indenyl-linked phosphane ligands (S)-[2-(3H-inden-1-yl)-1-phenylethyl]diphenylphosphane (L₁) and (S)-[2-(4,7-dimethyl-3H-inden-1-yl)-1-phenyl-ethyl]diphenylphosphane (L₂) were synthesized in three steps from (R)-1-phenylethane-1,2-diol in excellent yields. Their lithium salts reacted with [Rh(μ-Cl)(η²-CH₂CH₂)₂]₂ at −78 °C in THF affording the planar chiral complexes (S,R_pl + S_pl)-[Rh(η⁵-indenyl-CH₂CH(Ph)PPh₂-kP)(η²-CH₂CH₂)] and (S,R_pl + S_pl)-[Rh(η⁵-4,7-dimethylindenyl-CH₂CH(Ph)PPh₂-kP)(η²-CH₂CH₂)] as 61:39 and 15:85 mixtures of diastereomers. The complexes were isolated in optically pure form by column chromatography. The stereochemical configuration of one of the diastereomers was determined by X-ray crystallography. The complexation of L₂ was studied in different solvents and with several Rh precursors and diastereomeric excesses up to 76% were achieved. The ability of the chiral ligands to control the stereochemistry at the metal center was tested by oxidative addition of methyl iodide. Diastereomeric excesses greater than 98% were observed.