Asymmetric catalytic addition of diorganozinc reagents to imines: Scope and application

The copper-catalyzed diorganozinc addition to N-diphenylphosphinoylimines was shown to proceed with a very high degree of enantiocontrol if the reaction was run in the presence of Me-DuPHOS monoxide ligand (BozPHOS). The scope of the reaction is described as well as our efforts to identify the nature of the enantioactive metal complex responsible for the high asymmetric induction.