Practical Rh(I)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of beta-(acylamino)acrylates using a new unsymmetrical hybrid ferrocenylphosphine-phosphoramidite ligand: crucial influence of an N-H proton in the ligand.

[reaction: see text] Excellent enantioselectivities and high turnovers (S/C = 5000) were achieved in the Rh(I)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of both beta-aryl- and beta-alkyl-beta-(acylamino)acrylates with a new unsymmetrical hybrid ferrocenylphosphine-phosphoramidite ligand, and the presence of an N-H proton in the ligand was demonstrated to have a crucial role in the enantioselectivity.