Catalytic Asymmetric Bromine-Lithium Exchange: A New Tool to Build Axial Chirality

We present here the first catalytic desymmetrization of the 2,2',6,6'-tetrabromobiphenyl 1 and analogues, by a bromine-lithium exchange catalyzed by either diamines or diether derivatives (0.5 equiv.), yielding axially chiral compounds in high yield (up to 89%) and high enantioselectivity (up to 82%).