Abstract: A new class of ligands for asymmetric transition metal catalysis based on 2- (dipheny1phosphino) benzoic acid was used in a mechanisticallydefmed palladium- catalyzed reaction in which enanticdiierentiation was the result of selective ionization of substrates derived from cis-2tycloallcene-l, 4-diols. By making rational, stepwise changes in the ligand structure, the structural requirements for good asymmetric induction were ...