Asymmetric Synthesis of P‑Stereogenic Diarylphosphinites by Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Addition of Diarylphosphines to Benzoquinones

The reaction of phenyl­(2,4,6-tri­methyl­phenyl)­phosphine with a substituted benzoquinone in the presence of a chiral phosphapalladacycle complex as a catalyst and triethylamine in chloroform at −45 °C proceeded in a new type of addition manner to give a high yield of a 4-hydroxyphenyl phenyl­(2,4,6-tri­methyl­phenyl)­phosphinite with 98% enantioselectivity, which is a versatile intermediate readily convertible into various phosphines and their derivatives with high enantiomeric purity.