Enantiomerically pure cyclic (
R,R)-sulfates have been transformed into novel enantiopure ligands ofthe general type (
S,S)-2,4-R
2-1-(3-phenylpropyl)phosphetane (
7a-
c; R = Cy,
i-Pr,
t-Bu).
7a-
c split thearene ruthenium complex dimer [{RuCl
2(
6-C
6H
5COOMe)}
2] (
8) by forming the mononuclear
![](/images/gifchars/sigma.gif)
complexes(
SC,
SC)-[RuCl
2(
6-C
6H
5COOMe){2,4-R
2-1-(3-phenylpropyl)-
1-phosphetane}] (
9a-
c). An intramoleculararene ligand displacement reaction leads to (
SC,
SC)-[RuCl
2{2,4-R
2-1-(
6-3-phenylpropyl)-
1-phosphetane}](
10a-
c) with tethered side chains of the arene ligand. Nucleophilic substitution of a chloride ligand byaniline with the assistance of NaPF
6 gives access to the diastereomeric complex salts (
SC,
SC)-[RuCl(aniline){2,4-R
2-1-(
6-3-phenylpropyl)-
1-phosphetane}] (
11a-
c). Good diastereoselectivities wereobtained with de values between 84 and 88%. The absolute structures of the major diastereomers of
11a-
c have been determined by X-ray structure analysis.
RRu,
SC,
SC configurations were found in allcases. DFT calculations performed on the dechlorinated 16-valence-electron intermediate cation (
SC,
SC)-[RuCl{2,4-di-
tert-butyl-1-(
6-3-phenylpropyl)-
1-phosphetane}]
+ ([
12]
+) are in favor of an attack of anilinefrom the pro-
RRu side of the complex. Investigation of the relative stabilities of the
RRu and
SRudiastereomers of the complex cation [
11c]
+ revealed an almost isoenergetic situation. The diastereoselectivity of the ligand exchange reaction is therefore believed to be kinetically controlled.