ASYMMETRIC REDUCTION METHOD

摘要

Disclosed is a novel method for producing (2S)-2-benzyl-3-(cis- hexahydro-2-isoindolinylcarbonyl)propionic acid which is useful as a therapeutic agent for diabetes. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing (2S)-2-benzyl-3-(cis- hexahydro-2-isoindolinylcarbonyl)propionic acid, which is characterized in that 2-benzylidene-3-(cis-hexahydro-2- isoindolinylcarbonyl)propionic acid is subjected to a catalytic reduction reaction in the presence of an asymmetric catalyst prepared from a pyrrolidinebisphosphine compound (I) represented by the general formula (I) below and a rhodium compound. [Chemical formula 4] (I) (In the formula, R<SUP>1</SUP> represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl group, aralkyl group or aryl group which may respectively have a substituent; and R<SUP>2</SUP> and R<SUP>3</SUP> independently represent an optionally substituted aryl group. The * mark in the pyrrolidine ring shows that the carbon atom at that position has the S configuration.)