Enantioselective Rh-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of 3-Aryl-2-phosphonomethylpropenoates by a New Class of Chiral Ferrocenyl Diphosphine Ligands

A new class of chiral ferrocenyl diphosphine ligands with an imidazole ring, (Rc,SFc)-ImiFerroPhos, has been prepared from acylferrocenes through a five-step transformation and successfully applied in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of various 3-aryl-substituted 2-phosphonomethylpropenoates, in which a series of chiral 3-phosphono-2-arylmethylpropanoic acid derivatives were achieved in ee values of up to 98%.