Highly selective oxidative cross-coupling of 2-naphthol derivatives with chiral copper(I)–bisoxazoline catalysts

The asymmetric oxidative coupling reaction of 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoate and 2-naphthol derivatives with the CuCl–(S)-(−)-2,2′-isopropylidenebis(4-phenyl-2-oxazoline) catalyst under an O2 atmosphere was carried out. The reaction proceeded in a highly cross-coupling selective manner (⩽99.7%) with a moderate enantioselectivity of up to 65%.