A re-examination of pressure effects on enantioselectivity in asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation

Marked shifts in enantioselectivity in the asymmetric hydrogenation of several prochiral substrates were observed as a function of the availability of hydrogen to the catalyst in both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic reactions. The key kinetic parameter affecting enantioselectivity was found to be concentration of molecular hydrogen in the liquid phase, [H-2], rather than hydrogen pressure in the gasphase, and it was observed that under typical reaction conditions, [H-2] could differ widely from its equilibrium saturation value. It was demonstrated that the reported pressure dependence on enantioselectivity may in fact be reproduced at constant pressure for several systems by varying the rate of gas-liquid mass transfer. The general significance of the conclusions suggest that considerations of hydrogen diffusion limitations might be important in other asymmetric hydrogenation studies reported in the literature. For systems where enantioselectivity depends positively on hydrogen pressure, the intrinsic ability of a catalyst to effect asymmetric hydrogenation may be masked in a reaction carried out under conditions where gas-liquid diffusion is the rate-limiting step.