Practical ruthenium/lipase-catalyzed asymmetric transformations of ketones and enol acetates to chiral acetates

Abstract

[GRAPHICS] Ketones were asymmetrically transformed to chiral acetates by one-pot processes using a lipase and an achiral ruthenium complex under 1 atm of hydrogen gas in ethyl acetate. Molecular hydrogen was also effective for the transformation of enol acetates to chiral acetates without additional acyl donors with the same catalyst system.