Highly enantioselective hydrogenation of steric hindrance enones catalyzed by Ru complexes with chiral diamine and achiral phosphane.

An asymmetric hydrogenation of sterically hindered β,β-disubstituted enones has been well-established by using a ruthenium complex composed of an achiral diphosphane and a chiral diamine as catalyst, wherein the carbonyl group was selectively hydrogenated to give a wide range of chiral allylic alcohols with high levels of enantioselectivity and complete chemoselectivity.