Mechanistic and synthetic aspects of hydroboration with a simple atropisomeric ligand prepared from 1-(1′-(isoquinolyl)-2-naphthol

A novel triarylphosphite ligand has been prepared directly from both enantiomers of BINOL and a single enantiomer of 1′-(isoquinolyl)-2-naphthol. In one of the two cases cationic Rh complex proved to be reasonably effective in the asymmetric hydroboration of electron-poor styrenes. It was possible to identify binuclear reactive intermediates when the hydroboration pre-catalyst was examined in the presence of catecholborane at low temperatures.