To a solution of 1-bromonaphthalene (8.57 mL, 60 mmol) in dry THF (100 mL) under nitrogen was added n-BuLi (37.5 mL, 1.6 M in hexanes, 60 mmol) at −78° C. and the solution was stirred for 30 minutes at −78° C. before adding 8-diphenylphoshinoquinoline (1) (9.4 g, 30 mmol). After stirring at 0° C. for 10 minutes the solution was again cooled down to −78° C., saturated aqueous NH4Cl solution (10 mL) was added and the mixture was warmed to room temperature. Products were then extracted with EtOAc, washed with water and saturated aqueous NaCl, dried (MgSO4) and evaporated to give the 11 as a tan solid (13.0 g, 98%). 1H NMR (400.13 MHz, CDCl3) δ 8.0-7.9 (m, 1H, C5′—H), 7.8-7.7 (m, 1H, C8′—H), 7.66 (d, 1H, J=8.0 Hz, C2′—H), 7.5-7.3 (m, 2H, C6′/7′—H), 7.36 (d, 1H, J=6.4 Hz, C4′—H), 7.3-7.1 (m, 11H, C3′—H/Ph-H), 6.86 (dd, 1H, J=7.2, 1.2 Hz, C5—H), 6.64 (ddd, 1H, J=8.0, 6.4, 1.6 Hz, C7—H), 6.48 (t, 1H, J=7.6 Hz, C6—H), 6.35 (dd, 1H, J=9.6, 1.6 Hz, C4—H), 6.16 (t, 1H, J=1.6 Hz, C2—H), 5.70 (ddd, 1H, J=10.0, 3.6, 1.6 Hz, C3—H), 5.02 (bd, 1H, J=7.6 Hz, N—H) ppm; 13C NMR (100.61 MHz, CDCl3) δ 146.6, 146.5, 139.8, 129.5, 128.7, 128.6, 128.5, 128.4, 128.3 (m), 127.7, 135.1 (d, J=8.1 Hz), 134.9 (d, J=7.1 Hz), 134.5 (d, J=5.1 Hz), 133.9, 133.5 (d, J=13.1 Hz), 133.3 (d, J=12.1 Hz), 126.2, 125.6, 125.3, 125.2, 124.8, 124.4, 122.5, 118.8, 117.1, 116.3, 54.0 ppm; 31P NMR (161.97 MHz, CDCl3) δ −23.1 ppm.
