Synfacts 2006(5): 0459-0459  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-934348
Metal-Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis and Stereoselective Reactions
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Ru-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of β-Keto Esters

Contributor(s): Mark Lautens, Andrew Martins
C. J. Wang, H. Tao, X. Zhang*
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
21 April 2006 (online)

Significance

Ru(II)-TangPhos proves to be a versatile catalyst system for the asymmetric hydrogenation of β-keto esters. Under the reaction conditions, a variety of β-keto esters, both aryl and alkyl, were hydrogenated to the corresponding β-hydroxy ester in quantitative yield in all cases but one, and with extremely high enantioselectivity in all cases. Enantioselectivity is thus unaffected by either the steric or electronic character of the ketone substitutents.