A supramolecular approach to chiral ligand modification: coordination chemistry of a multifunctionalised tridentate amine-phosphine ligand

Abstract

A novel chiral amine-phosphine tagged with an amido-napthyridine moiety has been synthesised and found to bind complementary pyridinone additives. These additives were found to have a modest but measurable promotional effect on the catalytic activity and/or enantioselectivity of Ir- and Rh-catalysed reductions. One explanation for the relatively poor results obtained with the Ir and Ru catalysts is the formation of complexes, in which the ligand adopts an anionic tridentate coordination mode. Pt and Rh complexes of this type were isolated and characterised.