Use of Planar Chiral Ferrocenyl­phosphine-Gold(I) Complexes in the Asymmetric Cycloisomerization of 3-Hydroxylated 1,5-Enynes.

Chiral monodentate phosphines based on ortho-disubstituted ferrocene units have been prepared and used for the synthesis of gold(I) complexes. These complexes are highly active catalysts for the cycloisomerization of 3-hydroxy-1,5-enynes into bicyclo[3.1.0]hexanones. Their high catalytic activity is ascribed to their structural analogy to the biaryl-based Buchwald phosphines. This paper discloses the first enantioselective variant of these reactions based on gold catalysis ( ee's up to 80 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]