Asymmetric hydrogenation of α-keto phosphonates with chiral phosphine–phosphoramidite ligands

Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of challenging α-keto phosphonates has been developed. With a new chiral phosphine–phosphoramidite ligand, a wide range of α-keto phosphonates were hydrogenated to afford the corresponding (R)-α-hydroxy phosphonates with moderate to good enantioselectivities (up to 87% ee).