Enantioselective Hydrogenation of β,β-Disubstituted Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids under Base-Free Conditions

An additive-free enantioselective hydrogenation of β,β-disubstituted unsaturated carboxylic acids catalyzed by the Rh–(R,R)-f-spiroPhos complex has been developed. Under mild conditions, a wide scope of β,β-disubstituted unsaturated carboxylic acids were hydrogenated to the corresponding chiral carboxylic acids with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99.3% ee). This methodology was also successfully applied to the synthesis of the pharmaceutical molecule indatraline.