Synthesis and Preliminary Results on the Catalytic Activity of Metal Complexes obtained from C2-Symmetric Ligands Derived from R-(+)-Betti base

The enantiopure 1-(α-aminobenzyl)-2-naphthol, known as Betti base, was used for the synthesis of some novel compounds which show a C2-symmetry. Some of these compounds, after derivatization, were used as ligands in association with transition metals to prepare complexes which have been tested as catalysts for enantioselective reactions. Aminoalcohol (Salan-type) derivatives of these compounds were obtained upon reduction and it was also possible to obtain complexes with transition metals such as Mn, Ni, Co and Cu. Furthermore a novel 6-membered analogue bisoxazoline ligand, the 2,6-bis((R)-1-Phenyl-1H-naphtho[1,2-e][1,3]oxazin-3-yl)pyridine, was obtained and two Cu-complexes were prepared. As preliminary results the metal complexes gave up to discrete values of asymmetric induction.