Cobalt‐Catalyzed Addition Reaction of Organoboronic Acids with Aldehydes: Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Diarylmethanols

Abstract

Predicted outcomes: The addition reaction of organoboronic acids with aldehydes in the presence of K2CO3 catalyzed by CoI2/(R,R)-BDPP gives chiral secondary alcohols in excellent yields with 90–99 % enantiomeric excess (see scheme; (R,R)-BDPP=(2R,4R)-(+)-2,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)pentane). This method provides an alternative to prepare an R and S enantiomeric pair by using the same chiral ligand and allows the stereochemical outcome of the reaction to be predicted.