Ru‐(Phosphine‐Oxazoline) Complexes as Effective, Industrially Viable Catalysts for the Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Aryl Ketones

Abstract

Abstract Complexes prepared in situ from RuCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 3 and chiral phosphine‐oxazoline ligands are effective catalysts for the hydrogenation of various aryl ketones with ees up to 99% and substrate to catalyst ratios of 10,000–50,000; the reaction tolerates high substrate concentrations and a pilot process has been developed for the hydrogenation of 3,5‐bistrifluoromethyl acetophenone.