Highly efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of alkyl aryl ketones catalyzed by iridium complexes with chiral planar ferrocenyl phosphino-thioether ligands

Iridium complexes of planar-chiral ferrocenyl phosphine-thioether ligands were tested in the hydrogenation of simple ketones. Optimization of the conditions led to a highly active catalytic system with turnover numbers up to 915 and turnover frequencies up to ca. 250 h-1. Furthermore, very high enantioselectivities (up to >99%) together with complete conversions were obtained for the asymmetric hydrogenation of various acetophenones at 10 °C.