Cooperative Effects between Chiral Cp-x-Iridium(III) Catalysts and Chiral Carboxylic Acids in Enantioselective C-H Amidations of Phosphine Oxides

An enantioselective C-H amidation of phosphine oxides by using an iridium(III) catalyst bearing an atropchiral cyclopentadienyl (Cp-x) ligand is reported. A very strong cooperative effect between the chiral Cp-x ligand and a phthaloyl tert-leucine enabled the transformation. Matched-mismatched cases of the different acid enantiomers are shown. The amidated P-chiral arylphosphine oxides are formed in yields of up to 95% and with excellent enantioselectivities of up to 99:1 er. Enantiospecific reduction provides access to valuable P-chiral phosphorus(III) compounds.