Practical preparation and resolution of 1-(2′-diphenylphosphino-1′-naphthyl)isoquinoline:: A useful ligand for catalytic asymmetric synthesis

A practical synthesis of the atropisomerically chiral ligand QUINAP is described, followed by its efficient resolution into enantiomers by employing a deficiency of the chloropalladium complex derived from 1'-(R)-1'-(dimethylamino)-1-ethylnaphthalene. The X-ray structure of the ligand, which crystallises as a conglomerate, is reported.