First x-ray structure of a N-naphthaloyl tethered chiral dirhodium(II) complex: structural basis for tether substitution improving asymmetric control in olefin cyclopropanation

Good-ee! The first one-pot olefin cyclopropanation that gives high ee is reported. The optimized catalyst is the 4-Br-substituted chiral paddle-wheel tetracarboxylatodirhodium(II) complex based on N-naphthaloyl-(S)-tert-leucinate. X-ray structural analysis of the parent catalyst reveals a square chiral crown cavity shrouding the axial coordination site (see figure).