A new NCN pincer ruthenium complex and its catalytic activity for enantioselective hydrogenation of ketones

New bis( oxazolinyl) phenyl-ruthenium( II) complexes, which were synthesized by C-H bond activation with RuCl3 center dot 3H(2)O in zinc powder and 1,5-cyclooctadine followed by ligand exchange reaction with sodium acetylacetonate or acetylacetone, exhibited enantioselective hydrogenation of ketones in up to 90% ee.