(1) Labratory of Technical Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH-Zentrum, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Abstract:
The hydrogenation of methyl-, ethyl- and isopropyl-4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetates to the corresponding chiral trifluoromethyl alcohols has been investigated over Pt/A12O3 modified by O-methyl-cinchonidine. Up to 96% ee and 1850 h-1 average TOF have been achieved in the synthesis of this important chiral building block. The special role of reaction medium and particularly the impact of water and acids on enantiodiscrimination are discussed.