Inducing Axial Chirality in a Supramolecular Catalyst

A new type of ligand, which is able to form axially chiral, supramolecular complexes was designed using DFT calculations. Two chiral monomers, each featuring a covalently bound chiral auxiliary, form a bidentate phosphine ligand with a twisted, hydrogen-bonded backbone upon coordination to a transition metal center which results in two diastereomeric, tropos complexes. The ratio of the diastereomers in solution is very temperature- and solvent-dependent. Rhodium and platinum complexes were analyzed through a combination of NMR studies, ESI-MS measurements, as well as UV-VIS and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The chiral self-organized ligands were evaluated in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of -dehydrogenated amino acids and resulted in good conversion and high enantioselectivity. This research opens the way for new ligand designs based on stereocontrol of supramolecular assemblies through stereodirecting chiral centers.