Novel Compound, Novel Ligand, Novel Transition Metal Complex, and Catalyst Including Novel Transition Metal Complex

The invention provides novel ligands for transition metal complexes which exhibit high coordination power with respect to metals by being free of substituents at the positions ortho to phosphorus or arsenic and which have electron-withdrawing power comparable to the highest level known in conventional ligands. A ligand of the invention includes a compound represented by General Formula (1): RRRA or General Formula (2): RRA-Y-ARRand having a total of 15 to 110 carbon atoms. In the formulae, A is phosphorus or arsenic; R, R, Rand Rare each independently a substituted pyridyl group having optionally different electron-withdrawing groups bonded to the positions meta to the atom A as well as hydrogen atoms bonded to the positions ortho to the atom A; and Y is a divalent group derived from a C, optionally substituted and optionally heteroatom-containing, aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic compound or from ferrocene. 1. A compound represented by General Formula (1) or (2) and having a total of 15 to 110 carbon atoms:{'br': None, 'sup': 1', '2', '3, 'RRRA\u2003\u2003(1)'}{'br': None, 'sup': 1', '2', '3', '4, 'RRA-Y-ARR\u2003\u2003(2)'}{'sup': 1', '2', '3', '4, 'sub': '2-20', '(wherein A is phosphorus or arsenic; R, R, Rand Rare each independently a substituted pyridyl group having optionally different electron-withdrawing groups bonded to the positions meta to the atom A as well as hydrogen atoms bonded to the positions ortho to the atom A; and Y is a divalent group derived from a C, optionally substituted and optionally heteroatom-containing, aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic compound or from ferrocene).'}2. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein the electron-withdrawing group is at least one selected from the group consisting of a perhaloalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms claim 1 , a halogen claim 1 , nitro group claim 1 , cyano group claim 1 , pentafluorophenyl group claim 1 , tetrafluoropyridyl group claim 1 , heptafluorotolyl group claim 1 , 2 claim 1 ,6- ...

Process for producing an optically active ruthenium-phosphine complex and process for producing an optically active alcohol by using the complex

Provided is a process for preparing an optically active ruthenium-phosphine complex represented by the following formula (1): wherein L represents a bidentate ligand compound of a tertiary phosphine; X represents a halogen atom; and * means chiral center (L* is an optically active substance), which comprises reacting a ruthenium-phosphine complex represented by: Ru m X n L p A q or [RuX(D) (L)]X wherein, X and L have the same meanings as described above (L is a racemic modification); A represents triethylamine (Et 3 N), etc. ; and m, n, p and q each stands for an integer and D represents benzene, etc. with 1/2 equivalent of a specific optically active chiral diamine, thereby inactivating one of the enantiomers; and then with a specific optically active diamine derivative, thereby activating the other enantiomer.

Process for the preparation of optically active ruthenium phosphine complexes and their use in the preparation of optically active alcohols