1,1’-Binaphthalenes and heterocyclic analogues can be efficiently prepared by palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reactions between tri(1-naphthyl)indium reagents and 1-halonaphthalenes and haloisoquinolines. The reactions were usually carried out in THF at 80 °C with a slight excess of the indium reagent (40 mol-%) and a low catalyst loading (4 mol% Pd) to afford the cross-coupling products in good yields (45–99%). The method allows the synthesis of sterically hindered 2-substituted and 2,2’-disubstituted 1,1’-binaphthalenes and naphthylisoquinolines. In addition, the coupling reactions can be performed enantioselectively and the best enantiomeric excesses were obtained by using the chiral amino-phosphane ferrocenyl ligand (R,S)-PPFA.
