quadrant bisphosphine ligand, di-1-adamantylphosphino(tert-butylmethylphosphino)methane, named BulkyP*, has been synthesized via a convergent short pathway with chromatography-free procedures. The ligand is a crystalline solid and can be readily handled in air. Its rhodium(I) complex exhibits very high enantioselectivities and catalytic activities in the asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized alkenes
The three-hindered quadrant phosphine ligands (R)-1-tert-butylmethylphosphino-2-(di-tert-butylphosphino)benzene ((R)-3H-BenzP*) and (R)-2-tert-butylmethylphosphino-3-(di-tert-butylphosphino)quinoxaline ((R)-3H-QuinoxP*) exhibited good to excellent enantioselectivities in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of selected dehydroamino acid derivatives, enamides, and ethenephosphonates.