Metal coordination complexes containing optically active phosphine or arsine ligands

摘要

Process for the homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of &bgr;- substituted-&agr;-acylamido-acrylic acids which yields, after hydrogenation, an optically active mixture. The process comprises the hydrogenation of &bgr;-substituted-&agr;-acylamido-acrylic acids in the presence of an optically active coordinated metal complex hydrogenation catalyst, in which the metal is selected from the group consisting of rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, osmium, palladium and platinum. P PThis process is a generalized process for any asymmetric hydrogenation of &bgr;-substituted-&agr;-acylamido-acrylic acids in which one &agr;-amino acid enantiomorph is the desired end- product. It is especially useful for the preparation of &agr;-amino acids found in nature which possess optical activity and which have a hydrogen attached to the asymmetric center.PPThis invention also relates to new optically active coordinated metal complex hydrogenation catalysts.