Catalysis plays a key role in chemical conversions by making them faster and more selective. Despite its widespread use and decades of academic and industrial research, limited catalyst selectivity and stability still call for major improvements in catalyst performance to meet the demands of a sustainable society. Phosphine ligands are ubiquitous in transition metal chemistry and lead to extremely reactive and versatile homogeneous catalysts. Fast development of tailor-made catalysts and catalyst recovery are key issues in (asymmetric) homogeneous catalysis. Therefore libraries of ligands have to be synthesised and screened in an efficient way, which could be facilitated by Solid Phase Synthesis (SPS). Currently, most polymer bound ligands are anchored to the support after the synthesis in solution. However, the main advantages of synthesising the ligands directly on the polymeric support are not only easy catalyst recycling and product separation, but also the ease of purification during the synthesis steps, namely by simple washing and filtration. The use of SPS is very efficient for high throughput synthesis and screening of ligand libraries, however applications of SPS towards libraries of phosphorus ligands are rare, because the synthetic methodologies are still lacking. Here we present the development of methodologies towards novel immobilised bis(phosphine) ligands synthesised on polystyrene and JandaJel™ resin. By performing the synthesis steps on a solid support, the advantages of SPS are fully utilised. Successful routes have been developed towards immobilised secondary phosphine-boranes, which were versatile synthons to prepare a variety of new polymer-supported (C-chiral) bis(phosphine) ligands. These ligands were then tested for their catalytic activity in rhodium catalysed hydrogenation reactions.

This thesis deals with the preparation and use of chiralbispyridylamides as ligands in metal-catalyzed asymmetricreactions. The compounds were prepared by amide formation usingdifferent coupling reagents. Bispyridylamides havingsubstituents in the 4- or 6- positions of the pyridine ringswere prepared by functional group interconversion of the 4- or6- halopyridine derivatives. These synthetic approaches provedto be useful for various types of chiral backbones. Pseudo C2-symmetric bispyridylamides were also synthesizedby means of stepwise amide formation. The compounds were used as ligands in themicrowave-accelerated Mocatalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylationreaction. Ligands having ð-donating substituents in the4-positions of the pyridine rings gave rise to products withhigher branched to linear ratio. The catalytic reaction, whichproved to be rather general for allylic carbonates with anaromatic substituent, was used as the key step in thepreparation of (R)-baclofen. The Mo-bispyridylamide catalystprecursor was studied by NMR spectroscopy. Bispyridylamide complexes of metal alkoxides were alsoevaluated in the asymmetric addition of cyanide to aldehydesand the metal complexes involved were studied by NMRspectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Chiral diamines wereused as additives to study the ring opening of cyclohexeneoxide with azide, catalyzed by Zr(IV)-bispyridylamidecomplexes. Various bispyridylamides were attached to solid supports oforganic or inorganic nature. The solid-supported ligands wereused in Mo-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reactionsand in the asymmetric addition of cyanide to benzaldehyde. Keywords:asymmetric catalysis, chiral ligand, pyridine,amide, allylic alkylation, enantioselective, cyanation,ring-opening, chiral Lewis acid.

Asymmetric catalysis is one of the most effective ways to control a target molecule’s stereochemistry. Through the development of a wide variety of chiral transition metal complexes, synthetic chemists are given the tools they need to synthesize the desired enantiomer of numerous compounds. This work focuses on exploiting the non-innocent ligand reactivity of metal bis-dithiolenes with multiple conjugated π systems in order to synthesize chiral ligands. Recent work has shown that platinum bis-dithiolene reacts with dienes stereoselectively to form a racemic mix of C2 -chiral thioether ligands. The present contribution will show approaches to synthesizing chiral dienes and organometallic complexes with potential applications for asymmetric allylic substitution reactions. Dienes with various chiral auxiliaries were reacted with platinum dithiolene and monitored through NMR spectroscopy. Attempts to synthesis palladium bis-dithiolene complexes, not previously seen in the literature were made, and the reaction of α-β unsaturated ketones with metal bis-dithiolenes was explored.

Asymmetric catalysis is one of the most effective ways to control a target molecule’s stereochemistry. Through the development of a wide variety of chiral transition metal complexes, synthetic chemists are given the tools they need to synthesize the desired enantiomer of numerous compounds. This work focuses on exploiting the non-innocent ligand reactivity of metal bis-dithiolenes with multiple conjugated π systems in order to synthesize chiral ligands. Recent work has shown that platinum bis-dithiolene reacts with dienes stereoselectively to form a racemic mix of C2 -chiral thioether ligands. The present contribution will show approaches to synthesizing chiral dienes and organometallic complexes with potential applications for asymmetric allylic substitution reactions. Dienes with various chiral auxiliaries were reacted with platinum dithiolene and monitored through NMR spectroscopy. Attempts to synthesis palladium bis-dithiolene complexes, not previously seen in the literature were made, and the reaction of α-β unsaturated ketones with metal bis-dithiolenes was explored.

Design of new chiral ligands for asymmetric synthesis is important. The ligand should be economical and efficient in enantioselective transformations. For the synthesis of some natural products and biologically active compounds, optically active amines are used as important intermediates. For this reason, it is significant to develop new catalyst system which can produce optically active amines in an economical and efficient way. Our group developed PFAM ligands and used successfully for the enantioselective synthesis of organic compounds. In this work, these ligands were tested as chiral catalysts for enantioselective synthesis of amines. N-sulphonyl and N-phosphinoyl imines synthesized from aromatic aldehydes were used as the starting material for enantioselective diethylzinc addition reaction in the presence of copper salt and PFAM ligands. By improving the known procedure, N-benzylidine sulphonylaldimine was obtained in excellent yield (98%). Asymmetric diethylzinc addition reaction to N-sulphonyl and N-phosphinoyl aryaldimines provided chiral amines in up to 81% enantioselectivity and 99% yield.

The asymmetric synthesis of chiral norbornene based 1,4-aminoalcohols and their applications in asymmetric diethylzinc addition reactions was perfomed starting from meso-anhydride 50. The desymmetrization of this meso-anhydride 50 was done by the usage of quinine or quinidine cinchona alkaloids with very high enantiomeric excess values (up to 98% ee) and chemical yields. The Quinidine-mediated desymmetrization of meso-anhydride 50 with methanol gave (2R,3S)-(+)-cis-monoester 51. The amination of this resulting compound with HMPTA was performed and by keeping the amine group constant, the amidoester was transformed into chiral ligands with Grignard reaction followed by LAH reduction. The effectiveness of 1,4-aminoalcohol type ligands, (2R,3S)-(-)-57, (2R,3S)-(-)-58, (2R,3S)-(-)-59 and (2S,3R)-(+)-60 as chiral catalysts in asymmetric diethylzinc addition reaction to benzaldehyde were examined and the ligand 60 gave the highest enantioselectivity (69% e.e.)

The asymmetric synthesis of N-aryl substituted chiral 1,4-aminoalcohols and their applications in asymmetric borane reduction and enantioselective diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde reactions were performed starting from meso anhydride 51 that is the cycloadduct of cyclopentadiene and maleic anhydride. The desymmetrization of meso-anhydride 51 was achieved by using quinine or quinidine with very high enantiomeric excess value (up to 98% ee) and with high chemicalb yield. The quinine-mediated desymmetrization of meso-anhydride 51 with methanol gave (2S,3R)-(-)-cis-monoester 52. The hemiester was subjected to chemoselective amidation with various types of N-aryl substituted amines and then, it was treated with LAH and followed by hydrogenation in the presence of palladium catalyst to get the chiral 1,4-amino alcohols. The catalytic effectiveness of these chiral 1,4-amino alcohol ligands, (2S,3R)-60, (2S,3R)-61, (2S,3R)-62 and (2S,3R)-63 were examined in asymmetric borane reduction and enantioselective diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde reactions. Keywords: Amino alcohol, chiral ligand, asymmetric reaction, borane reduction, diethylzinc addition

A new class of pyridine and sulfur containing chiral compounds are synthesized. Camphor sulfonyl chloride is chosen as a valuable chiral starting compound. In our synthetic strategy, sulfonylchloride moiety is first reduced to corresponding thiol compound by using triphenylphosphine and then the resultant thiol will be converted to various alkyl, aryl substituted derivatives. The second part of our strategy includes the pyridine ring construction on the carbonyl side of camphor with the formation of &beta / -hydroxymethylene moiety followed by further reaction with various enamines. The resultant chiral ligands are characterized and used as a chiral ligand in asymmetric transfer of hydrogenation. Also novel class of organocatalysts synthesized from C2-symmetrical chiral diamine backbones and halopyridine derivatives are also synthesized and tested for their performance in kinetic resolution of racemic secondary alcohols. Also, a base mediated aromatization reaction is investigated in terms of both scope and mechanism.

Chiral 1,2-amino alcohols were synthesized via newly developed &ldquo / intramolecular unsaturation transfer&rdquo / using cyclohexanone, propargyl bromide, and various chiral amino alcohols as starting components. These amino alcohols can be potential chiral ligands for many asymmetric transformation reactions. Therefore, their effectiveness as chiral ligands in diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde and N-diphenylphosphinoyl imines were tested. Various parameters including temperature, solvent, ligand amount etc. were screened for the synthesized chiral ligands. In diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde high enantioselectivity could not be obtained. When N-diphenylphosphinoyl imines were used as substrate good ee values up to 80% were achieved.

<p>This thesis deals with the preparation and use of chiralbispyridylamides as ligands in metal-catalyzed asymmetricreactions.</p><p>The compounds were prepared by amide formation usingdifferent coupling reagents. Bispyridylamides havingsubstituents in the 4- or 6- positions of the pyridine ringswere prepared by functional group interconversion of the 4- or6- halopyridine derivatives. These synthetic approaches provedto be useful for various types of chiral backbones. Pseudo C₂-symmetric bispyridylamides were also synthesizedby means of stepwise amide formation.</p><p>The compounds were used as ligands in themicrowave-accelerated Mocatalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylationreaction. Ligands having ð-donating substituents in the4-positions of the pyridine rings gave rise to products withhigher branched to linear ratio. The catalytic reaction, whichproved to be rather general for allylic carbonates with anaromatic substituent, was used as the key step in thepreparation of (R)-baclofen. The Mo-bispyridylamide catalystprecursor was studied by NMR spectroscopy.</p><p>Bispyridylamide complexes of metal alkoxides were alsoevaluated in the asymmetric addition of cyanide to aldehydesand the metal complexes involved were studied by NMRspectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Chiral diamines wereused as additives to study the ring opening of cyclohexeneoxide with azide, catalyzed by Zr(IV)-bispyridylamidecomplexes.</p><p>Various bispyridylamides were attached to solid supports oforganic or inorganic nature. The solid-supported ligands wereused in Mo-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reactionsand in the asymmetric addition of cyanide to benzaldehyde.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>asymmetric catalysis, chiral ligand, pyridine,amide, allylic alkylation, enantioselective, cyanation,ring-opening, chiral Lewis acid.</p>