Facile Preparation of Chiral 1, 3‐Diols via Stereoselective Transfer Hydrogenation of 1, 3‐Diones

Asymmetric reduction of 1, 3-diones catalyzed by (S, S)-TsD-PEN-Ru(II) complex in a mixture of formic add-triethylamine proceeded with a substrate/catalyst molar ratio of 100 to give (S, S)-l,3-diols with excellent diastereomeric (98.6% de) and enantiomeric purities ( > 99% ee). Other C2-symmetric diols were also obtained in almost quantitative yields with high diastereomeric (80.0%-84.2% de) and enantiomeric purities ( > 99% ee).