Straightforward access to chiral diol bidentate ligands: their efficient enantioselective induction in the addition of diethylzinc to aromatic aldehydes

Enantiopure C2‐symmetric diol bidentate ligands have been synthesized in a straightforward manner through a three‐step reaction with good yields. The synthesized C2‐symmetric diol bidentate ligands were used in the addition of diethylzinc to various aromatic aldehydes, a general catalytic benchmark reaction, in order to assess their enantioselective induction properties. The enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to 1‐naphthaldehyde and 3‐chlorobenzaldehyde was achieved with an enantiomeric excess (ee) of up to 98%. All synthesized ligands were also evaluated in the addition of diethyzinc to aromatic aldehydes including an extra metal such as Ti(IV) (up to 99% ee). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Enantiopure C2‐symmetric diol bidentate ligands have been synthesized in a straightforward manner through a three‐step reaction with good yields. Application of the ligands resulted in excellent enantioselectivities in the addition of diethylzinc to aromatic aldehydes.