Rapid, productive and stereoselective hydrogenation of ketones

RuCl2(phosphine)(2)(1,2-diamine) complexes act as excellent precatalysts for homogeneous hydrogenation of simple ketones which lack any functionality capable of interacting with the metallic center. This newly devised catalytic system allows preferential saturation of a C=O function over a coexisting C=C linkage in 2-propanol containing an alkaline base. Furthermore, the stereoselectivity of the reaction is easily controlled by the electronic and steric properties (bulkiness and chirality) of the ligands as well as the reaction conditions.