Ru-catalyzed highly enantioselective hydrogenation of beta-alkyl-substituted beta-(acylamino)acrylates.

Highly enantioselective hydrogenation of beta-alkyl-substituted (E)-beta-(acylamino)-acrylates catalyzed by Ru((R)-Xyl-P-Phos)(C(6)H(6))Cl(2) complex (cat. 1c) was achieved in up to 99.7% ee. Moderate to good enantioselectivities in the hydrogenation of corresponding (Z)-isomers in the presence of [Rh((R)-Xyl-P-Phos)(COD)]BF(4) (cat. 2c) were also obtained. The results demonstrated that the electronic and steric properties of the dipyridylphosphine ligands as well as the different transition metal ions have significant influences on the catalytic properties in the hydrogenation of beta-(acylamino)acrylates.