Planar chiral imidazolium salts based on [2.2]paracyclophane in the asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed 1,2-addition of arylboronic acids to aldehydes

A series of planar chiral imidazolium salts derived from [2.2]paracyclophane have been synthesized and characterized. By using these imidazolium salts as carbene precursors, the Rh-catalyzed 1,2-addition of arylboronic acids to aldehydes proceeded readily with low catalyst loadings (0.03–0.3 mol %) and gave a variety of chiral diarylmethanols in excellent yields and moderate enantioselectivities.