SYNTHESIS OF 6-ENDO-HYDROXY NORPHOS, A POTENTIAL LIGAND FOR CONSTRUCTION OF CHIRAL BIMETALLIC CATALYSTS

6-endo-hydroxy norphos has been synthesized in two steps from norphos dioxide. The key step involves hydroxymercuration with the participation of the endo P=O group. The hydroxy diphosphine is expected to be a good candidate for the synthesis of a bimetallic system where the diphosphine moiety will bind a soft metal (such as rhodium) while the OH group will provide a hard center by its transformation into an OM group (M = Ti, Al, B etc). The fixed geometry of the system should be adapted to stereoselective catalytic transformations on bifunctional substrates of defined structures.