Chiral Chalcogen Peptides as Ligands for the Catalytic Enantioselective Aryl Transfer Reaction to Aldehydes

A new series of chiral chalcogen peptides were synthesized from inexpensive and commercially available starting materials. The synthesized compounds were tested as catalysts in the enantioselective arylation of aldehydes by using arylboronic acids as the aryl source. The desired diarylmethanols were obtained in excellent yields and with enantioselectivities up to 91 % ee.