Synthesis of homologated binaphthyl N,P-ligands for Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

2-Pyrrolidinylmethyl-2′-diphenylphosphino-1,1′-binaphthyl has been found to be a highly reactive and enantioselective N,P-ligand in the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenylpropen-2-yl acetate with dimethyl malonate. This axially chiral binaphthyl-based homologated N,P-ligand can be conveniently prepared from enantiomerically pure binaphthol using a five-step reaction sequence, and provides for efficient asymmetric catalysis using the chirality of the binaphthyl skeleton alone.