Tailor-made Catalysts for Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketones

Abstract

Asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by XylBINAP/chiral diamine-Ru (II), To1BI-NAP/PICA-Ru (II), η⁶-arene/TsDPEN-Ru (II), and MsDPEN-CpIr (III) complexes affords a variety of sec-ondary alcohols with high enantioselectivity. Complete conversion is attainable with a low catalyst loading. The high catalyst efficiency is rationalized by a novel “metal-ligand cooperative mechanism.”