Enantioselective synthesis of optically active alkanephosphonates via rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of β-substituted α,β-unsaturated phosphonates with ferrocene-based monophosphoramidite ligands

A series of chiral beta-substituted alkane-phosphonates was synthesized in high enantioselectivities via the first rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of the corresponding beta-substituted-alpha,beta-unsaturated phosphonates using a ferrocene-derived rnonophosphoramidite ligand, with which up to 99.5% ee have been achieved for the hydrogenation of (E)-substrates and 98.0% ee for (Z)-substrates.