Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of α-CF3- or β-CF3-Substituted acrylic acids using Rhodium(I) complexes with a combination of chiral and achiral ligands

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.201307903

Only the mixture works! Acrylic acid derivatives with CF₃ substituents in α or β position were efficiently hydrogenated in the presence of a Rh^I complex with a chiral secondary phosphine oxide (SPO; see scheme) and an achiral Ph₃P as ligands. The corresponding propanoic acid derivatives were obtained with generally high conversion (>99 %) and high enantioselectivity (92->99 %). Copyright