Highly Enantioselective Hydrogenation of β‐Alkyl and β‐(ω‐Chloroalkyl) Substituted β‐Keto Esters

Abstract

Highly enantioselective hydrogenation of β‐alkyl and β‐(ω‐chloroalkyl) substituted β‐keto esters was achieved with Ru catalysts based on chiral diphosphines in EtOH at 50°C under 50‐bar initial hydrogen pressure, affording the corresponding β‐hydroxy esters in >98% ee.

Keywords:

• diphosphines
• enantioselective hydrogenation
• β‐hydroxy esters
• β‐keto esters
• ruthenium

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge financial support from Wirtschaftsministerium von Mecklenburg‐Vorpommern.