Synthesis of some new chiral bifunctional o-hydroxyarylphosphonodiamides and their application as ligands in Ti(IV) complex catalyzed asymmetric silylcyanation of aromatic aldehydes

Some new chiral bifunctional o-hydroxyarylphosphonodiamides were synthesized starting from (+)-cis-1,2,2-trimethylcyclopentane-1,3-diamine and the absolute configuration of the phosphorus atom was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Excellent enantioselectivity (up to 98% ee) was achieved in asymmetric silylcyanation of aromatic aldehydes using a chiral titanium complex formed in situ from Ti(OiPr)4 and o-hydroxyarylphosphonodiamide as the catalyst.