Rhodium-catalyzed reduction of α-amino acid precursors using chiral 4-(diphenylphosphanyl)-1-(dialkylamino)butane ligands

The enantioselectivity of the hydrogenation of some unsaturated amino acids using rhodium complexes in association with chiral 4-(diphenylphosphanyl)-1-(dialkylamino)butane ligands is higher (ee values of up to 60%) in water as the solvent in the presence of SDS than in methanol.