Novel phosphine oxazoline ligands of formula (I) whereinm is 1, 2, 3 or 4;n, p, q, r are independently zero or 1 provided that at least one of n, p, q and r is 1;X is O, S, Se, CH2, NH;Y is N, P, As, S;R is H; a straight, branched or cyclo alkyl optionally substituted by one or more groups independently selected from alkyl, aryl, halo, alkoxy, amine, phosphine, ether; aryl optionally substituted by one or more groups independently selected from alkyl, aryl, halo, alkoxy, amine, phosphine, ether; ferrocenyl; a thioalkyl group; a thioaryl group; or R is part of a polymeric structure, for example polyacrylic acid;R1 to R13 are independently selected from H; a straight, branched or cyclo alkyl optionally substituted by one or more groups independently selected from alkyl, aryl, halo, alkoxy, amine, phosphine, ether; aryl optionally substituted by one or more groups independently selected from alkyl, aryl, halo, alkoxy, amine, phosphine, ether;a process for the preparation thereof, metal complexes containing such ligands and the use of such complexes, or combinations of ligand with metal salts or complexes, as catalysts for asymmetric syntheses is disclosed.
