Catalytic asymmetric aryl transfer:: highly enantio selective preparation of (R)- and (S)-diarylmethanols catalyzed by the same chiral ferrocenyl aziridino alcohol

Highly enantioselective arylations of arylaldehydes using arylboronic acids as aryl resource were realized in the presence of a catalytic amount of (2S)-1-ferrocenylmethylaziridin-2-yl(diphenyl)methanol. In addition, the R or S enantiomers of a series of given diarylmethanols can be easily obtained in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities simply by the reverse combinations of both reaction partners. A possible transition state for the catalytic asymmetric addition has been proposed on the basis of previous studies. (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.