Axially Chiral Borinic Acid Catalysts: Design, Synthesis, and Application in Alkylative Desymmetrization of 1,2-Diols.

A novel chiral borinic acid (CBA), an organocatalyst possessing a binaphthyl skeleton, was designed and synthesized. The synthesis of CBA was achieved with a 72% yield in four steps starting with optically pure 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol. The asymmetric catalytic activity was investigated in the desymmetrization of meso -1,2-diol.