A ruthenium catalyst that does not require an N-H ligand to achieve high enantioselectivity for hydrogenation of an alkyl-aryl ketone

Ruthenium catalysts of the form trans-RuCl2((R)-(S)-Josiphos)L-2 where L-2 = pyridine or 1,2-diamine, have been synthesized that display high catalytic activity towards the hydrogenation of 1'-acetonaphthone.