New tagged naplephos ligands for asymmetric allylic substitutions under traditional and unconventional conditions

This paper demonstrates the versatility of the class of chiral ligands naplephos, which has been further refined by preparing new ‘tagged’ versions for selective use in polar media (e.g., ionic liquids). These modified types, along with the best performing original varieties, have been examined in two Pd-catalysed asymmetric processes involving C–C and C–N bond formation. High ees have been achieved in traditional solvents, while the experiments performed in ionic liquids confirm the difficulty of predicting the outcome of a reaction in these media and the general decrease in the catalytic performance.