Synthesis of axially chiral 1,8-diarylnaphthalene ligands and application in asymmetric catalysis: An intriguing fluorine effect

A fluorinated and a non-fluorinated axially chiral 1,8-diarylnaphthalene ligand have been synthesized through an Ullmann and Suzuki coupling reaction based strategy. A practical methodology for the successful chiral resolution of the newly synthesized catechol based moiety is presented. We also disclose the preliminary application of these axially chiral molecules as ligands in asymmetric transformation reactions.