A series of 1,3-diphenylallyl complexes of Pd(II) containing achiral a
s well as new and commercially available chiral auxiliaries has been p
repared, and their allyl C-13-NMR characteristics have been recorded.
Some results for the catalytic allylic alkylation reaction are given w
ith the best new result, for (R)-BIPHEMP (BIPHEMP = ,2'-bis(diphenylph
osphino)-6,6'-dimethylbiphenyl), showing an enantiomeric excess of 90%
. The solid-state structure for the complex [Pd(eta(3)-PhCHCHCHPh)(TME
DA)]BF4, 2a, has been determined by X-ray diffraction. Molecular mecha
nics methods have been used to understand some differences between the
chiral pockets of selected chelating phosphine ligands. The selective
allyl isomerization dynamics for the methoxy-BIPHEMP complex is-diphe
nylphosphino)-6,6'-dimethoxybiphenyl)]PF6, 2n, and the ferrocene-based
JOSIPHOS complex (JOSIPHOS = lphosphino)ferrocenyl]ethyl}dicylohexylp
hosphine), HPh){CpFe(C5H3(1-CH(CH3)PCy(2))-2-PPh(2))}]CF3SO3, 9, have
been followed by 2-D exchange spectroscopy. The observed ee for 9 does
not correlate with expectations based on C-13 data, together with a g
round state population analysis; i.e., the reaction kinetics for diffe
rent diastereomers may be important. The 1,3-diphenylallyl substrate i
s special in that its phenyl groups can stack with the phenyl groups o
f the chiral auxiliary.