The syntheses of aminoalkyloxazoline and pyrrolidinyloxazoline ligands, each of which bear a pair of chiral centres, by both known and new routes are reported. Variable temperature NMR studies show that the known stepwise syntheses of the pyrrolidinyl compounds are not complicated by epimerization; however, coordination of one of the aminoalkyl derivatives to Pt(II) under conditions of prolonged heating to 80 °C does give mixtures of diastereomeric N,N ′-chelated complexes that result from inversion of the chiral centre associated with the aminoalkyl fragment. A new synthesis of pyrrolidinyloxazoline ligands that involves the Zn-catalyzed cyclization of Cbz-protected 2-cyanopyrrolidine and β-amino alcohols is also reported. This procedure offers the advantages of economy, shorter time, and fewer purification steps over the previously reported synthesis. In addition, the crystal structure of an enantiopure Pd(II) complex of an N,N ′-chelated pyrrolidinyloxazoline is disclosed. This compound has a pseudo-C2 axis of symmetry, which may make it suitable for asymmetric catalytic applications.Key words: chiral ligands, ligand design, oxazolines, variable temperature NMR spectroscopy, asymmetric catalysis, coordination compounds, palladium, platinum
