Complex catalyst, process for producing the complex catalyst, and process for producing alcohol derivative with the complex catalyst

Abstract

There are provided (asymmetric) complex catalysts comprising metal complexes and Lewis acids as components, the metal complex being of formula (1):wherein R, R, R, R, R, R, Rand Rare the same or different and are independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl or the like; one of Rand Ris hydrogen and the other is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or the like; Q is a single bond or alkylene of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; M is a metal ion; and A is a balancing counter ion or ligand; processes for the production of these complex catalysts; processes for the production of (optically active) alcohol derivatives, characterized in that cyclic ether compounds are reacted with phenol derivatives in the presence of these complex catalysts; and further processes for producing (optically active) nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds by reacting these alcohol derivatives with halogenated nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds in the presence of a base.