Expanded Scope of the Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Minimally Functionalized Olefins Catalyzed by Iridium Complexes with Phosphite–Thiazoline Ligands

Abstract We have replaced the oxazoline group with a thiazoline moiety in one of the most successful of the phosphite–oxazoline ligand families for the Ir‐catalyzed hydrogenation of minimally functionalized olefins. A small but structurally important library of Ir phosphite–thiazoline precatalysts (Ir‐ L1 – L2 a – e ) has been developed by changing the substituents/configurations at the biaryl phosphite group. We found that the replacement of the oxazoline with a thiazoline moiety in the ligand design is beneficial in terms of substrate scope.