A chiral imidodiphosphate having the general formula wherein: X and Y may be, independently from each other, the same or different and represent O, S, Se and NR N, Z 1 to Z 4 represent O, n stands for 0 or 1, W is selected from hydrogen, halogen, a metal selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Al, Pb, La, Sm, Eu, Yb, U, a cationic organic group, or a substituted silicon such as -SiR I R II R III, wherein R I, R II and R III may be same or different and each stand for hydrogen, halogen, C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, each hydrocarbon optionally being substituted by one or more groups selected from C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl or a heterosubstituent, R 1 to R 4 may be, independently from each other, the same or different and may be each an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic group, each optionally being further substituted by one or more heterosubstituents, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic groups whereby R 1 and R 2 are forming a ring system with Z 1 and Z 2 and R 3 and R 4 are forming a ring system with Z 3 and Z 4, respectively, and R N may be selected from hydrogen, C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, each hydrocarbon optionally being substituted by one or more groups selected from C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl or heterosubstituents, including its tautomeric and ionic forms, and derivatives thereof. X and Y may be, independently from each other, the same or different and represent O, S, Se and NR N, Z 1 to Z 4 represent O, n stands for 0 or 1, W is selected from hydrogen, halogen, a metal selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Al, Pb, La, Sm, Eu, Yb, U, a cationic organic group, or a substituted silicon such as -SiR I R II R III, wherein R I, R II and R III may be same or different and each stand for hydrogen, halogen, C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, each hydrocarbon optionally being substituted by one or more groups selected from C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl or a heterosubstituent, R 1 to R 4 may be, independently from each other, the same or different and may be each an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic group, each optionally being further substituted by one or more heterosubstituents, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic groups whereby R 1 and R 2 are forming a ring system with Z 1 and Z 2 and R 3 and R 4 are forming a ring system with Z 3 and Z 4, respectively, and R N may be selected from hydrogen, C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, each hydrocarbon optionally being substituted by one or more groups selected from C 1 to C 20 straight chain, branched chain or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, optionally having one or more unsaturated bonds such as C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl or C 2 -C 20 -alkinyl, C 3 -C 8 -heterocycloalkyl or C 6 to C 20 aromatic hydrocarbon and partially arene-hydrogenated forms such as aryl, aryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl, heteroaryl-(C 1 -C 6)-alkyl or heterosubstituents,