Rhodium-P,O-bidentate coordinated ureaphosphine ligands for asymmetric hydrogenation reactions.
We present new ureaphosphine ligands that coordinate in a P,O-bidentate fashion to rhodium(i). The ureaphosphine-Rh(i)-complexes were effectively used in the asymmetric hydrogenation of cyclic enamides giving high conversions and enantioselectivity.