Structural influence of chiral tertiary aminonaphthol ligands on the asymmetric phenyl transfer to aromatic aldehydes.

A series of chiral tertiary aminonaphthol ligands were prepared from 2-naphthol, (S)-1-phenylethylamine, and aldehydes with diverse substituted groups. The results of asymmetric phenyl transfer to aromatic aldehydes catalyzed by these chiral ligands indicated that enantioselectivities were greatly influenced by the electronic and steric effects of the ligands.