Chiral ligands and metal complexes based on such chiral ligands useful in asymmetric catalysis are disclosed. The metal complexes according to the present invention are useful as catalysts in asymmetric reactions, such as, hydrogenation, hydride transfer, allylic alkylation, hydrosilylation, hydroboration, hydrovinylation, hydroformylation, olefin metathesis, hydrocarboxylation, isomerization, cyclopropanation, Diels-Alder reaction, Heck reaction, isomerization, Aldol reaction, Michael addition; epoxidation, kinetic resolution and [m+n] cycloaddition. Processes for the preparation of the ligands are also described.