Diastereoselective catalytic hydrogenation on heterogeneous metal catalysts

The application of diastereoselective hydrogenation catalyzed by heterogeneous catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of organic compounds is illustrated in the reduction of several functional groups. In that approach, the chiral information is provided by the prior attachment of a chiral auxiliary to the substrate to be hydrogenated. The optically active hydrogenated product is then disconnected from the chiral auxiliary. Proper choice of the inductor, of the catalyst and of reaction conditions may result in high diastereoselectivities.