The homogeneous asymmetric hydrogenation reactions of fluorinated P-keto esters using ruthenium(II) complexes bearing atropoisomeric diphosphines such as BINAP and MeO-BIPHEP have yielded the corresponding P-hydroxy esters in quantitative yield with ee that ranged between 42 and > 95%. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.