3,3 '-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1 '-disubstituted-2,2 '-biindoles: Easily accessible, electron-rich, chiral diphosphine ligands for homogeneous enantioselective hydrogenation of oxoesters

Racemic (+/-)-3,3'-bis(diphenylphosphinyl)-1,1'-dimethyl-2,2'-biindole (Ic) (N-Me-2-BINPO) and (+/-)-3,3'-bis(diphenylphosphinyl)-1, 1'-bis(methoxymet hyl)-2,2'-biindole (Id) (N-MOM-2-BINPO) were synthesized in satisfactory yi elds following a three-step reaction sequence,starting from indole. Resolut ion of racemic Ic and Id was achieved through fractional crystallization of their diastereomeric adducts with optically active dibenzoyl tartaric acid s, followed by alkaline decomplexation of the diastereomerically pure salts . Their trichlorosilane reduction gave enantiopure phosphines (+)- and (-)- (la) (N-Me-2-BINP) and (+)- and (-)-(lb) (N-MOM-2-BINP). The electrochemica l oxidative potential of la and Ib was found to be 0.52 and 0.60 V, respect ively. Both the enantiomers of(la) were tested as ligands of Ru(II) in asym metric hydrogenation reactions of alpha- and beta -oxoesters. Reactions wer e found to be outstandingly fast and enantioselection quite good. Comparati ve kinetic experiments on the hydrogenation reaction of methyl acetoacetate carried out with la, Ic, BINAP, and other biheteroaromatic diphosphines as ligands of Ru(II) demonstrated that all the reactions follow a first-order kinetic. A Linear relationship was found between the kinetic constant log and the electrochemical oxidative potential of the diphosphine ligand.