To obtain the subject compound useful as an intermediate for pharmaceuticals in high optical yield by the asymmetric hydrogenation reaction using a transition metal-optically active phosphine complex.
An optically active carboxylic acid of formula II is produced by the asymmetric hydrogenation of (A) a β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acid of formula I (R1 is H, amino, acetylamino, t-butoxycarbonylamino or p- cyanobenzoylamino; X is O or CH2) using (B) a transition metal-optically active phosphine complex as a catalyst. The transition metal is preferably ruthenium, rhodium or iridium, especially ruthenium. The optically active phosphine in the component B is preferably a binaphthyl compound of formula III (R2 is phenyl or cyclohexyl which may have methyl, t-butyl or methoxy substituent; X is H, amino, acetylamino, etc.).
OKUMURA KUNIO
SHIMAZAKI TOSHIYUKI
AWANO HIROICHI
YAMAMOTO YOSHIHIRO
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