ASYMMETRIC CHEMISTRY - COMPARISON OF CHIRAL PHOSPHINES VS CHIRAL PHOSPHINITES IN THE ASYMMETRIC HYDROGENATION OF PROCHIRAL OLEFINS CONTAINING A CARBOXYLIC-ACID OR ESTER GROUP

The asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral olefins has been an especially active field of research since Kagan's publication on the use of (–J-DIOP1 in such reductions.2, 3 A common theme in these reactions has been the use of chiral phosphines as ligands in rhodium-catalyzed reductions. The substrates have frequently included carboxylic acid and/or acetamido groups attached to the olefin moiety. The reduction of olefins not having these groups often resulted in products of lower enantiomeric excess. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.