Rhodium-catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of -Dehydroamino Ketones: A General Approach to Chiral -amino Ketones

Rhodium/DuanPhos-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of aliphatic -dehydroamino ketones has been achieved and afforded chiral -amino ketones in high yields and excellent enantioselectives (up to 99% ee), which could be reduced further to chiral -amino alcohols by LiAlH(tBuO)(3) with good yields(.) This protocol provides a readily accessible route for the synthesis of chiral -amino ketones and chiral -amino alcohols.