Dirhodium(II) tetrakis[N-tetrachlorophthaloyl-(S)-tert-leucinate]: a new chiral Rh(II) catalyst for enantioselective amidation of CH bonds

Dirhodium(II) tetrakis[N-tetrachlorophthaloyl-(S)-tert-leucinate], characterized by substitution of chlorine atoms for four hydrogen atoms on the phthalimido group in the parent dirhodium(II) complex has been found to be well suited for enantioselective amidation of benzylic CH bonds with [(4-nitrophenyl)sulfonylimino]phenyliodinane. The observed enantioselectivity of up to 84% ee is the highest reported to date for dirhodium(II) complex-catalyzed CH amidations.