Abstract: The invention concerns novel diphosphines of formula (I) useful in particular, in their optically active form, as ligands in metal complexes. The invention also concerns their uses an intermediates in the preparation of polymeric insoluble ligands. The invention further concerns the use of said insoluble ligands in the preparation of metal complexes for asymmetric. catalysis.

Abstract: The invention concerns a water soluble compound of formula (a) wherein: A represents naphthyl or phenyl; and Ar1 and Ar2 independently represent a saturated or aromatic carbocyclic group; Xa, Xb are independently selected among an amino group, an ammonium group and an amino group modified by a linear polyoxyalkylene chain, provided that at least one of Xa and Xb represents ammonium or modified amino.

Abstract: The invention concerns an optically active polymer obtainable by free radical or anionic polymerisation of an optically active ethylene monomer with epoxide function bearing at least a chiral centre with a copolymerisable ethylene monomer. An example of such a polymer is an optically active copolymer consisting of two types of repeat units A and B of formula: (A), (B), wherein R0 to R12, X, Y1 and Y2, B, * and n are such as defined in claim 1. Another example is an optically active monomer consisting of two types of repeat units A and C, A being as defined above and C corresponding to formula (C). Said polymers are useful, optionally after the epoxide functions are opened, for immobilising enzymes, as polymeric matrix for chiral chromatography, as polymeric support for solid phase synthesis, as ligand for preparing transition metal complexes in regioselective catalysis or as chiral inducer in regioselective catalyst.

Abstract: The invention concerns optically active polymers, obtainable by polymerizing chiral diphosphine having a C2 axis of symmetry, excluding all other symmetry element, with one or several polymerizable monomers, said chiral diphosphine consisting of a chiral body bearing two identical functional groups capable of reacting with said polymerizable monomers.