Use of 5,5-(dimethyl)-i-Pr-PHOX as a practical equivalent to t-Bu-PHOX in asymmetric catalysis.

The use of 5,5-(dimethyl)-i-Pr-PHOX as a practical equivalent of t-Bu-PHOX in asymmetric catalysis is reported. This new member of the phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligand family behaves similarly in terms of stereoinduction to t-Bu-PHOX with the key advantage of being readily accessible as both enantiomers starting from either (S)- or (R)-valine.