A Convenient Method for the Synthesis of Protic 2-(Tertiary phosphino)-1-amines and Their CP*RuCl Complexes

A variety of protic 2-(tertiary phosphino)-1-amines (R2PCH2CHR'NHR '', P-NH) have been prepared from 2-ox-azolidinones and secondary phosphines using a newly developed acid-promoted decarboxylative C-P bond formation reaction. Treatment of the resulting chiral P-NH compounds with Cp*RuCl(isoprene) in CH2Cl2 smoothly furnished chiral Cp*RuCl(P-NH) complexes with a typical three-legged piano-stool structure, which prove to be excellent catalyst precursors for asymmetric reactions, including the isomerization of allylic alcohols and hydrogenation of imides.