Asymmetric cross-coupling of dinaphtho[2,1-b:1',2'-d]thiophene with ArMgBr (Ar = Ph, 4-MeC6H4, 4-MeOC6H4) proceeded with high enantioselectivity in THF at 20 degrees C in the presence of 3 mol % of a nickel catalyst generated from Ni(cod)2 and a chiral oxazoline-phosphine ligand to give high yields of axially chiral 2-mercapto-2'-aryl-1,1'-binaphthyls, whose enantiomeric excesses are over 93%. The mercapto group in the chiral binaphthyl was converted into iodo, boryl, and phosphino groups without racemization.

The Heck-type olefination and carbonylation of a binaphthaleneiodonium salt 1 in the presence of a palladium catalyst gave high yields of the corresponding 2-iodo-2'-functionalized-1,1'-binaphthyls with high selectivity.

In the presence of a rhodium catalyst (5 mol %) generated in situ from [Rh(cod)Cl](2) and (S,S')-(R,R')-C(2)-ferriphos (4a), the asymmetric ring-opening reaction of azabenzonorbornadienes (1a-m) with various aliphatic and aromatic amines (2a-l) proceeded with high enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee) to give the corresponding 1,2-diamine derivatives 3 in high yields. In the specific case of pyrrolidine as nucleophile, Et(3)NHCl was necessary as an additive for good reactivity and enantioselectivity. Additionally, a practical protocol was developed for the ring-opening of 1a with volatile amines at elevated temperatures and standard pressure, using R(2)NH(2)I and i-Pr(2)NEt. The experimental results showed that the nature of the chiral ligand has the significant impact on the reactivity of the catalyst and the use of excess amount (2.2 eq to Rh) of the chiral ligand plays an important role to improve the enantioselectivity in the present asymmetric reaction.

Catalytic asymmetric Grignard cross-coupling of 1,9-disubstituted dibenzothiophenes (6a-c) and dinaphthothiophene (6d) with aryl- and alkyl-Grignard reagents (7) proceeded with high enantioselectivity (up to 95% ee) in the presence of a nickel catalyst (3-6 mol %) coordinated with 2-diphenylphosphino-1,1'-binaphthyl (H-MOP) or oxazoline-phosphine ligand (i-Pr-phox) in THF to give 2-mercapto-2'-substituted-1,1'-biphenyls (8a-c) and 2-mercapto-2'-substituted-1,1'-binaphthyls (8d) in high yields. The mercapto group in the axially chiral cross-coupling products was converted into several functional groups by way of the methylsulfinyl group. The rate of flipping in dinaphthothiophene was measured by variable-temperature (31)P NMR analysis of methylphenylphosphinyldinaphthothiophene derivative (21).

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