Nickel-catalyzed kinetic resolution to achieve P-chiral phosphine oxides and sec-phosphine oxides

P-Chiral phosphines and sec-phosphine oxides (SPO) are found in a diverse range of compounds that play crucial roles in various fields, including asymmetric catalysis, materials, agrochemistry, and pharmaceutical chemistry. Herein, we describe an enantioselective Ni-catalyzed kinetic resolution of racemic sec-phosphine oxides to obtain the corresponding optically pure P-chiral phosphine oxides and sec-phosphine oxides, respectively. These products are versatile chiral phosphine building blocks that can be used to construct an extensive range of P-chiral phosphines.