CATALYTIC COMPOSITION AND PROCESS FOR ASYMMETRIC HYDROGENATION

摘要

The present invention concerns a catalytic composition comprising a catalyst effective for catalysing asymmetric hydrogenation reactions, which catalyst requires acid activation, an acidic material effective for activating the catalyst, and a buffering compound or composition capable of forming, in the presence of the acidic material, an acetal, a ketal, a hemiacetal, and/or a hemiketal. The invention also relates to an asymmetric hydrogenation process utilising such a catalytic composition, and to the use of such a catalytic composition for improving the enantiomeric excess of a desired asymmetrically hydrogenated product.