Diferrocenylphosphine: A Facile Synthesis and Its Use to Prepare Chiral Phosphines

Abstract

Diferrocenylphosphine-borane has been synthesized in three steps from monolithio- ferrocene. This compound may be transformed into the corresponding phosphide which is a nucleophilic reagent allowing to introduce the diferrocenylphosphino grouping in organic compounds. Several chiral diphosphines related to DIOP have been synthesized by this method. The corresponding rhodium complexes are catalysts in the hydrogenation of various C=C double bonds.