Asymmetric synthesis of dimethyl-1,2-bis-(diphenylphosphino)-1,2-ethanedicarboxylate by means of a chiral palladium template promoted hydrophosphination reaction

An optically pure C2-symmetrical diphosphine ligand containing two ester functional groups at the two chiral carbon stereogenic centres was prepared efficiently from the asymmetric hydrophosphination reaction between diphenylphosphine and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate in the presence of an organopalladium(II) complex derived from (S)-N,N-dimethyl-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine.