Synthesis of benzyloxyphenoxy phenol ligands

A process for preparing a ligand, the process comprising contacting a first reactant with a bridging reactant in a polar aprotic reaction medium under reaction conditions, thereby forming the ligand;

• wherein:
• (a) when the first reactant is 2-((tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3-yl lithium, the bridging reactant is 2-bromo-1-(3-((2-bromobenzyl)oxy)propoxy)-4-methylbenzene, and the ligand is 2-(3-((2′-hydroxy-[1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-2-yl)methoxy)propoxy)-5-methyl-[1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-2′-ol (Ligand AP);
• or wherein (b) when the first reactant is 2′,5,5′-trimethyl-2-((methoxymethoxy)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3-yl lithium, the bridging reactant is 2-bromo-1-(3-((2-bromobenzyl)oxy)propoxy)-4-methylbenzene, and the ligand is 2-(3-((2′-hydroxy-2″,5′,5″-trimethyl-[1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-2-yl)methoxy)propoxy)-2″,5,5′,5″-tetramethyl-[1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-2′-ol (Ligand BP);
• or wherein (c) when the first reactant is 2-(methoxymethoxy)-5-methyl-3-(2-methylnaphthalen-1-yl)phenyl) lithium, the bridging reactant is 2-bromo-1-(3-((2-bromobenzyl)oxy)propoxy)-4-methylbenzene, and the ligand is 2′-(3-((2′-hydroxy-5′-methyl-3′-(2-methylnaphthalen-1-yl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2-yl)methoxy)propoxy)-5,5′-dimethyl-3-(2-methylnaphthalen-1-yl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2-ol (Ligand CP).