In the present work the modular synthesis of new chelating bisphosphite ligands based on 9,10-brigded 9,10-dihydroanthracenes as ligand backbones is presented. The complexation behavior of these ligands in rhodium metal complexes as well as mechanistic studies of the preformation step of the rhodium catalysed hydroformylation is investigated. Ratio of coordination isomers in the Rh complexes of these ligands has been determined using NMR based calculation technique. Modular synthesis route was established allowing for a variety of ligands to be synthesized in a standard procedure The new ligands were tested in the hydroformylation of 4-pentenal under optimized conditions to give adipic aldehyde a promising starting material for the polyamide nylon-6,6. Ligand L3 showed the best selectivity towards adipic aldehyde with selectivity of 10.2/1 n/iso aldehyde. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.