A series of monodentate and bidentate chiral phosphorus based ligands including diphosphites and diphosphonites derived from carbohydrates were tested in the asymmetric Suzuki coupling of aryl halides with 2-substituted 1-naphthylboronic acids. Good activities and selectivities were achieved, although modest ee's were obtained (up to 37%). The X-ray structure of PtCl2(12) bearing the C2-symmetry diphosphite ligand 12 derived from carbohydrate, is also reported.
