Novel chiral ferrocenyl-imino phosphine ligands and their use in palladium catalyzed allylic alkylations

New chiral P,N-ferrocenyl imino-phosphine ligands have been synthesized and the absolute configuration of the stereocenters in each molecule has been determined by a single-crystal X-ray analysis of a common intermediate. PdII-allyl complexes of the new ligands have been isolated and tested as catalyst precursors in the asymmetric allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-en-1-yl acetate with dimethyl malonate in different solvents. Quantitative yields and enantiomeric excesses as high as 80% have been obtained.