Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of β-disubstituted α-phenylacrylic acids asymmetric synthesis of carboxylic acids containing two vicinal chiral carbon centers

Abstract

Hydrogenation of trisubstituted acrylic acids (( E )- and ( Z )MeC(R)CPhCOOH: R = CD 3, Et, Ph) in the presence of a chiral (aminoalkyl)ferrocenylphosphine-rhodium catalyst installed asymmetric configurations at two vicinal carbons at once giving optically active carboxylic acids of high enantiomeric purities (80% ee).