The Stereochemistry of Organometallic Compounds. XXI Asymmetric Addition of Hydrogen Cyanide to Alkenes Catalysed by Zerovalent Metal Compounds

[(+)-(diop)]₂Pd and [(+)-(diop)], Ni have been prepared and used as catalysts for the asymmetric addition of hydrogen cyanide to alkenes. The corresponding complex of platinum with diop has also been prepared and found to be less useful as a catalyst as were the complexes of these three metals with other chelating diphosphines.