title: Highly enantioselective Rh-catalysed hydrogenation of 1-alkyl vinyl esters using phosphine-phosphoramidite ligands.
abstract: MatPhos, a good mate for hard tasks: The asymmetric hydrogenation of 1-alkyl vinyl esters, thwarted so far by mediocre ee values and low activities, can now be achieved with MatPhos/Rh catalysts with ee values of 96-99% for a variety of substrates at low catalyst loadings (0.1-1 mol %) and under mild conditions (5-20 bar H2, room temperature). After hydrolysis, the corresponding chiral secondary alkyl alcohols can be obtained in high enantiopurities providing a general and practical route to this important product class.
authors.affiliation: RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen (Germany), Fax: (+49) 241-80-22177.
authors.forename: Tina Maria
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Konrad
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franciò
keywords: asymmetric hydrogenation; chiral alcohols; enol esters; phosphine-phosphoramidite ligands; rhodium