Chiral Phosphoric Acid-Palladium(II) Complex Catalyzed Asymmetric Desymmetrization of Biaryl Compounds by C(sp 3 )-H Activation.

Desymmetrization is an essential method for the synthesis of chiral compounds, particularly chiral biaryls. We have developed an enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral biaryls by desymmetrization using C(sp 3 )-H activation catalyzed by chiral palladium phosphate. Mechanistic studies show that C-H activation is the rate- and enantiomer-determining step. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of asymmetric desymmetrization of axially chiral compounds by C(sp 3 )-H activation.