Optically active diamines and their use in catalytic processes

Compounds of the formula (I)

• where
• * marks stereogenic carbon atoms which each independently have R- or S-configuration, excluding meso-forms and
• R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently hydrogen, C1–C12-alkyl, C4–C24-aryl or C5–C25-arylalkyl, or R1, R2, R3 and R4 together with ethylene bridge are 1,2-(C5–C8-cycloalkyl) and
• R5 and R6 are each independently radicals which are selected from the group of —COOR7, —CONR8R9, —CN or —PO(OR10)2 where R7, R8, R9 and R10 are each C1–C12-alkyl, C4–C24-aryl or C5–C25-arylalkyl, or NR8R9 as a whole is a cyclic amino radical having a total of 4 to 12 carbon atoms.