| Abstract: | Two precursors of the chiral dithiolato ligands, di‐(2R)‐acetylmercaptopropyl] phthalate and isophthalate, 1 and 2 respectively, were synthesized from (S)‐lactic acid. Reactions of 1 and 2 with Rh2(μ)‐OMe)2(cod)2] (cod = 1,5‐cyclo‐octtadiene) yielded rhodium thiolato complexes of different nuclearities. The mixtures of complexes were analyzed by gel‐permeation chromatography (GPC). The reaction with ligand 1 produced a mixture of oligomeric complexes, where the binuclear species was the main component. Higher‐nuclearity complexes were the main products of the reaction with ligand 2. The rhodium complexes, in the presence of PPh3, were tested as catalyst precursors for the asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene. Moderate activity and regioselectivity were achieved in most cases, but no enantioselective discrimination was observed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
