(''S'')-iPr-PHOX, or (''S'')-2- -(diphenylphosphino)phenyl4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole, is a

chiral Chirality is a property of asymmetry important in several branches of science. The word ''chirality'' is derived from the Greek (''kheir''), "hand", a familiar chiral object. An object or a system is ''chiral'' if it is distinguishable from ...

, bidentate,

ligand In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule (functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's electr ...

derived from the amino alcohol

valinol Valinol is an organic compound named after, and commonly produced from, the amino acid valine. The compound is chiral and is produced almost exclusively as the S‑isomer (also designated as the L‑isomer), due to the abundant supply of S-valine. ...

. It is part of a broader class of

phosphinooxazolines Phosphinooxazolines (often abbreviated PHOX) are a class of chiral ligands used in asymmetric catalysis. Their complexes are particularly effective at generating single enatiomers in reactions involving highly symmetric transition states, such as ...

ligands and has found application in

asymmetric catalysis Enantioselective synthesis, also called asymmetric synthesis, is a form of chemical synthesis. It is defined by IUPAC as "a chemical reaction (or reaction sequence) in which one or more new elements of chirality are formed in a substrate molecul ...

Preparation

(''S'')-iPr-PHOX is prepared using the amino alcohol valinol, which is derived from

valine Valine (symbol Val or V) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH3+ form under biological conditions), an α- carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonat ...

. The

phosphine Phosphine (IUPAC name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the chemical formula , classed as a pnictogen hydride. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like rotting ...

moiety may be introduced first, by a reaction between 2-bromobenzonitrile and

chlorodiphenylphosphine Chlorodiphenylphosphine is an organophosphorus compound with the formula (C6H5)2PCl, abbreviated Ph2PCl. It is a colourless oily liquid with a pungent odor that is often described as being garlic-like and detectable even in the ppb range. It is u ...

; the oxazoline ring is then formed in a Witte Seeliger reaction. This yields an air stable zinc complex which must be treated with

bipyridine Bipyridines also known as bipyridyls, dipyridyls, and dipyridines, are a family of chemical compounds with the formula (C5H4N)2, consisting of two pyridyl (C5H4N) rings. Pyridine is an aromatic nitrogen-containing heterocycle. Bipyridines are of sig ...

in order to obtain the free ligand. Synthesis is performed under argon or nitrogen to avoid contact with air, however the final product is not air sensitive. ::

Uses

Iridium complexes incorporating (''S'')-iPr-PHOX have been used for

asymmetric hydrogenation Asymmetric hydrogenation is a chemical reaction that adds two atoms of Hydrogen atom, hydrogen to a target (substrate) molecule with three-dimensional Enantioselective synthesis, spatial selectivity. Critically, this selectivity does not come from ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:iPr-PHOX, (S)- Ligands Phosphines Oxazolines