New chiral ferrocenyl P,S-ligands for highly diastereo- and enantioselective Ag(I)-catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides

A new family of chiral ferrocenyl P,S-ligands incorporating an indole ring at the alpha-ferrocenylmethyl position has been prepared via a Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction of (R-c,S-Fc)-PPFA with a variety of 2-indole thioethers. These newly developed ferrocenyl P,S-ligands proved to be efficient in the AgOAc-catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with various dipolarophiles, giving cycloadducts with high diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.