Synthesis of spiro diphosphines and their application in asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones

Abstract

Synthesis of chiral diphosphine ligands containing a spiro scaffold was described. The ruthenium complexes of these spiro ligands were found to have extremely high activities (S/C up to 100 000) and enantioselectivities (ee up to 99.5%) in the asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones.