Patent ID: 8124816

Claim:
A process for the reduction by hydrogenation, using molecular H 2 , of a C 3 -C 70 substrate containing one or two ester or lactone functional groups into its corresponding alcohol or diol, which comprises carrying out the process in the presence of a base and at least one catalyst or pre-catalyst in the form of a ruthenium complexes of formula [Ru(L4)Y 2 ] (1) [Ru(L4)(X) n (Y) 2-n ](Z) n (2 wherein L4 represents a tetradentate ligand wherein the coordinating groups consist of at least one amino or imino group and at least one phosphino group; and each Y represents, simultaneously or independently, CO, a hydrogen or halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or a C 1 -C 6 alkoxy or carboxylic radical, or a BH 4 or ALH 4 group; X represents a C 3 -C 30 mono-phosphine or a solvent; Z represents a non-coordinated anion; and n is 0, 1 or 2.