Simplified Synthesis of Air-stable Copper-complexed Josiphos Ligand via Ugi’s Amine: Complete Preparation and Analysis from Ferrocene

Ligands containing ferrocene backbones often feature both planar chirality and asymmetric centers, making them attractive options for asymmetric catalysis. Ugi’s amine is a ubiquitous ferrocene-based chiral building block that can be functionalized to form a variety of tunable Josiphos ligands; however; few sources lay out the route from start to finish. Starting from ferrocene, we have compiled a synthetic route to an air- and moisture-stable copper(I)-Josiphos complex via enantiopure Ugi’s amine, providing a one-stop shop for the synthesis of a wide range of Josiphos ligands.