Patent ID: 8278486

Claim:
A process for producing an enantiomerically enriched compound having the structure of Formula I: wherein the R-configuration, or S-configuration at the stereogenic center is marked with an *; which process comprises the step of hydrogenating an enamide compound having the structure of formula III: in an organic solvent in the presence of a catalyst comprising a transition metal selected from the group consisting of rhodium and iridium, complexed to a chiral diphosphine ligand; wherein Ar is phenyl which is unsubstituted or substituted with one to five substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, trifluoromethyl, and trifluoromethoxy; Z is OR 1 , SR 1 or NR 1 R 2 ; and P is R 3 , OR 3 or NR 3 R 4 ; R 1 and R 2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-8 alkyl, C 5-12 cycloalkyl, aryl and aryl-C 1-2 -alkyl; or R 1 and R 2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a C 4-7 -member heterocyclic ring system optionally containing an additional heteroatom selected from O, S, and N—C 1-4 -alkyl, said heterocyclic ring system being optionally fused with a 5- to 6-member saturated, unsaturated or aromatic carbocyclic ring system or a 5- to 6-member saturated, unsaturated or aromatic heterocyclic ring system containing one to two heteroatoms selected from O, S, and N—C 1-4 -alkyl, said fused ring system being unsubstituted or substituted with one to two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, amino, fluoro, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy and trifluoromethyl; and R 3 and R 4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-8 alkyl, aryl, C 5-12 cycloalkyl and aryl-C 1-2 -alkyl; or R 3 and R 4 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a C 4-7 -member heterocyclic ring system optionally containing an additional heteroatom selected from O, S, and N—C 1-4 -alkyl.