4-Ferrocenyl-1,3-oxazoline derivatives as ligands for catalytic asymmetric allylation reactions

Bis(oxazolines) and 2-(2-phosphinoaryl)oxazolines derived from highly enantiopure 2-amino-2-ferrocenylethanol have been tested as ligands in the asymmetric Pd(0)-catalysed allylic alkylation reaction. Essentially complete enantioselectivity (99.8:0.2 er) has been achieved in the nucleophilic substitution of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate by dimethyl malonate anion. The absolute configuration of the ligands has been unambiguously established by chiroptical methods.