Hydrogenation is a core technology in chemical synthesis. This paper addresses a simple answer to a long-standing, fundamental problem, "asymmetric hydrogenation of simple ketones."

Yes, the newly invented chiral diphosphine/diamine Ru complexes effect rapid and productive asymmetric hydrogenation of a range of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and olefinic ketones with a consistently high enantioselectivity. This method shows promise in the practical synthesis of a wide variety of chiral alcohols from achiral and chiral ketone substrates. Its versatility is manifested by the asymmetric synthesis of some biologically significant chiral compounds. In fact, Dow Chemical Co. will use this new technology for drug manufacture.

Since molecular chirality plays a key role in science and technology, chemical access to enantiomerically pure compounds is a very significant endeavor. Asymmetric hydrogenation is my life-long research.

H2 is the simplest yet a very significant molecule. It is a clean, abundant resource. This molecule finds enormous utility in basic science, applied science, and in industry. We discovered its clever, most efficient use. Hydrogenation was initiated at the end of the 19th century by Paul Sabatier, who used fine metal particles as catalysts. Then numerous chemists have made contributions to the progress of this significant field. In asymmetric hydrogenation, I particularly respect the pioneering efforts of H. B. Kagan and W. S. Knowles.

Ryoji Noyori
Professor
Department of Chemistry
Nagoya University
Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan