Rhodium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of Spirosilabifluorene Derivatives

Abstract

Si goes chiral: Treatment of a bis(biphenyl)silane with a catalytic amount of a rhodium complex gave a spirosilabifluorene bearing a quaternary silicon atom. By using a rhodium catalyst with a chiral phosphine ligand (see scheme), asymmetric dehydrogenative cyclization proceeded to give chiral derivatives in good yields and enantioselectivities.