tert-Butanesulfinylphosphines: Simple Chiral Ligands in Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Addition of Arylboronic Acids to Electron-Deficient Olefins

An efficient rhodium complex catalyst system was developed by using a class of simple tert-butanesulfinylphosphines as bidentate ligands, which solely bear sulfur chirality and combine the advantages of both sulfoxide and phosphine ligands. Excellent activities (in 0.5 hour, up to 99% yield) and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) were displayed in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-additions under mild conditions.