Highly Enantioselective Hydrogenation of β-Ketoenamides with the Rh-ZhangPhos Catalyst

A series of beta-ketoenamides have been successfully. synthesized and applied in the enantioselective hydrogenation with the Rh-ZhangPhos catalyst This methodology provides an efficient access to a variety of optically active beta-amino ketones with up: to 99%, enantiomeric excess (ee). beta-Amino ketones can be converted to chiral gamma-arylamines in one step without loss of enantioselectivity. Furthermore, direct hydrogenation of beta-ketoenamide to chiral 1,3-amino alcohol is also tested with extremely high enantioselectivity and diastereoselectivity.