Ruthenium(II) Complexes of Monodonor Ligands: Efficient Reagents for Asymmetric Ketone Hydrogenation.

A series of BINOL-derived ligands have been prepared and incorporated into ruthenium(II) complexes containing a diamine ligand. The complexes have proven to be excellent catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones, giving reduction products with enantiomeric excesses of up to 99%.