Asymmetric catalysis based on chiral phospholanes and hydroxyl phospholanes

A catalyst comprising a compound in the form of a complex with a transition metal wherein said compound is selected from compounds represented by the formula;

• wherein:
• a) each R and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• aryl, alkyl, alkyl aryl, aryl alkyl, chiral oxazolino which may be substituted with carboxylic acid, alkoxy, hydroxy, alkylthio, thiol, dialkylamino, or diphenylphosphino groups;
• or wherein R2 is a group having the formula:
• wherein Z is a group represented by the formula:
• b) R1 is selected from the group consisting of:
• H, alkyl, silyl, aryl, a water soluble unit, a linked polymer chain and an inorganic support;
• and
• c)
• is selected from the group consisting of:
• —(CH2)n— where n is an integer ranging from 1 to 8;
• —CH2)nX(CH2)m— wherein n and m are each integers, the same or different, ranging from 1 to 8, and X is O, S, NR4, PR4, AsR4, SbR4, divalent aryl, divalent fused aryl, divalent 5-membered ring heterocyclic group, or divalent fused heterocyclic group, wherein R4 is aryl, alkyl, substituted aryl, or substituted alkyl;
• and
• 1,2-divalent phenyl, 2,2′-divalent 1,1′biphenyl or 2,2′-divalent 1,2′-binapthyl or ferrocene, each of which may be substituted with aryl, C1-C8 alkyl, F, Cl, Br, I, COOR5, SO3R5, PO3R52, OR5, SR5, NR52, PR52, AsR52, or SbR52;
• wherein the substitution on 1,2-divalent phenyl, the ferrocene or biaryl bridge can be independently halogen, alkyl, alkoxyl, aryl, aryloxy, nitro, amino, vinyl, substituted vinyl, alkynyl, or sulfonic acid group;
• and
• wherein R5 is selected from the group consisting of:
• hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 fluoroalkyl, C1-C8 perfluoroalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, arylalkyl, ring-substituted arylalkyl, and —CR32(CR32)gX(CR32)pR1 wherein q and p are integers, the same or different, ranging from 1 to 8;
• wherein R3 is selected from the group consisting of:
• aryl, alkyl, substituted aryl, and substituted alkyl;
• and X is as defined above.