Kinetic resolution of hydroperoxides with enantiopure phosphines: Preparation of enantioenriched tertiary hydroperoxides

An efficient reductive kinetic resolution strategy capable of accessing optically active tertiary hydroperoxides is reported. Readily accessible tertiary hydroperoxides are resolved with commercially available (R)- or (S)-xylyl-PHANEPHOS with selectivity factors as large as 37. The resulting bis(phosphine oxide) can be recycled in high yields. The isolated mono(phosphine oxide) intermediate resolved hydroperoxides with the same selectivity as the parent bisphosphine.