Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Tetrasubstituted α-Acetoxy β-Enamido Esters: A New Approach to Chiral α-Hydroxyl-β-amino Acid Derivatives

Asymmetric hydrogenation of tetrasubtitued alpha-acetoxy beta-enamido esters with rhodium catalysts based on chiral diphosphine ligands provides an efficient and concise route to the synthesis of chiral alpha-hydroxyl-beta-amino acid derivatives in excellent enantioselectivities. The products are valuable chiral building blocks in many biologically active compounds and have important applications in organic synthesis.