D₄-Symmetric Dirhodium Tetrakis(binaphthylphosphate) Catalysts for Enantioselective Functionalization of Unactivated...

Dirhodium tetrakis(2,2'-binaphthylphosphate) catalysts were successfully developed for asymmetric C-H functionalization with trichloroethyl aryldiazoacetates as the carbene precursors. The 2,2'-binaphthylphosphate (BNP) ligands were modified by introduction of aryl and/or chloro functionality at the 4,4',6,6' positions. As the BNP ligands are C₂-symmetric, the resulting dirhodium tetrakis(2,2'-binaphthylphosphate) complexes were expected to be D₄-symmetric, but X-ray crystallographic and computational studies revealed this is not always the case because of internal T-shaped CH-π and aryl-aryl interactions between the ligands. The optimum catalyst is Rh₂(S-megaBNP)₄, with 3,5-di(tert-butyl)phenyl substituents at the 4,4' positions and chloro substituents at the 6,6' positions. This catalyst adopts a D₄-symmetric arrangement and is ideally suited for site-selective C-H functionalization at unactivated tertiary sites with high levels of enantioselectivity, outperforming the best dirhodium tetracarboxylate catalyst developed for this reaction. The standard reactions were conducted with a catalyst loading of 1 mol % but lower catalyst loadings can be used if desired, as illustrated in the C-H functionalization of cyclohexane in 91% ee with 0.0025 mol % catalyst loading (29,400 turnover numbers). These studies further illustrate the effectiveness of donor/acceptor carbenes in site-selective intermolecular C-H functionalization and expand the toolbox of catalysts available for catalyst-controlled C-H functionalization.