Modification of diphenylamine-linked bis(oxazoline) ligands: Tuning of electronic effect and rigidity of ligand skeleton

The electronic effect of diphenylamine-linked bis(oxazoline) ligands was tuned through introduction of electron-withdrawing bromo and nitro substituents onto the 4 and 4′ position. The variation of the NH bond acidity was determined by the different chemical shifts of NH. The catalytic activity and enantioselectivity of the modified ligands were tested in the asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indole with β-nitrostyrene. The effect of ligand skeleton rigidity was also investigated through the synthesis of iminodibenzyl-linked bis(oxazoline) ligands and evaluation of their catalytic activity in Friedel-Crafts alkylation.