Organometallic Catalysis in Water and in a Two-Phase System

Abstract

Amino acids precursors are reduced in a two-phase system ethyl acetate-water with e.e. up to 90 % in the presence of a rhodium complex associated with chiral sulfonated diphosphines. Performing the reaction in deuterium oxide allows the regiospecific introduction of a deuterium atom at the carbon a to the acetamido and the ester group.