Highly efficient synthesis of chiral beta-amino acid derivatives via asymmetric hydrogenation.

The Rh-TangPhos complex is an efficient hydrogenation catalyst for making chiral beta-amino acid derivatives. With the Rh-TangPhos system, high enantioselectivities (up to 99.6%) and turnover numbers have been obtained in the hydrogenation of E/Z isomeric mixtures of both beta-alkyl and beta-aryl beta-(acylamino)acrylates. [reaction: see text]