Chiral ferrocenyl diphosphines for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone

The synthesis of new optically pure ferrocenyl diphosphines have been realized from (R)-(+)-N,N-dimethylaminoethylferrocene. Particularly, dissymmetric ferrocenyl diphosphines have been synthesized. The diphosphines have been used as ligands in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone in the presence of Ru catalysts.