Synthesis of Chiral Axially Diaryl Aldehydes by Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Desymmetrization Reaction

Axially chiral biaryl aldehydes are precursors for the synthesis of axially chiral compounds and novel chiral catalysts of great interest, which play vital roles in extensive research fields. However, limited strategies exist for the efficient synthesis of axially chiral aldehydes, and the construction of structurally diverse axially chiral aldehydes remains challenging. Herein, a strategy is reported for the synthesis of biaryl axially chiral aldehydes with varying structures from biaryl dialdehydes and aromatic amines in the presence of a chiral phosphoric acid catalyst. This protocol features excellent enantioselectivity, mild conditions, and good functional-group tolerance.