Synthesis of (P)‐ and (M)‐6,7‐Bis[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]‐8,12‐diphenylbenzo[a]heptalenes – Potential Ligands for Homogeneous Asymmetric Catalysis

The title bis(phosphane) ligands have been prepared starting from optically pure diisopropyl (P)‐ and (M)‐8,12‐diphenylbenzoa]heptalene‐6,7‐dicarboxylates ((P)‐ 1b and (M)‐ 1b ) that had been obtained by HPLC separation of rac‐ 1b on a semi‐preparative Chiralcel OD column. Reduction of (P)‐ 1b and (M)‐ 1b with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAH) gave optically pure (P)‐ and (M)‐dimethanols 3 (Scheme 6 and Fig. 5). Unfortunately, the almost quantitative chlorination of rac‐ 3 with PCl₅ in CHCl₃ at −60° led with (M)‐ 3 to nearly complete loss of optical integrity. However, mesylate formation of (P)‐ 3 , followed by phosphanylation with LiP(BH₃)Ph₂ gave (P)‐ 6 with only a small loss of optical activity. Optically pure (P)‐ 6 was obtained by crystallization from Et₂O/hexane, which removed the nearly insoluble rac‐ 6 . The pure bis(phosphane) ligands (P)‐ 2 and (M)‐ 2 can be liberated quantitatively from 6 by warming 6 in toluene in the presence of 1,4‐diazabicyclo2.2.2]octane (DABCO). First Rh^I‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation reactions of (Z)‐α‐(acetamido)cinnamic acid ((Z)‐ 14 ) in the presence of (P)‐ 2 led to (R)‐N‐acetylphenylalanin ((R)‐ 15 ) in optical purities up to 77% (see Table 1).