Catalytic Hydrogenation of Carboxamides and Esters by Well-Defined Cp*Ru Complexes Bearing a Protic Amine Ligand

A novel catalytic method for the straightforward hydrogenation of carboxamides and esters to primary alcohols has been developed. Chiral modification in the ligand sphere of the well-defined Cp*Ru catalyst molecule opens up a new possibility for the development of an enantioselective hydrogenation of racemic substrates via dynamic kinetic resolution.