Patent ID: 8692022

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 under suitable pressure and temperature conditions in the presence of a base and at least one complex in the form of a ruthenium complex of formula [Ru(L2) b (L′) a Y 2 ] (1) wherein L2 represents a C 4 -C 40 bidentate ligand wherein the coordinating groups consist of one amino or imino group and one phosphino group; L′ represents a C 3 -C 70 mono-phosphine or a solvent; b is 1 and a is 1 or 2 or b is 2 and a is 0; and each Y represents, simultaneously or independently, CO, a hydrogen or halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a BH 4 or ALH 4 group or a C 1 -C 6 alkoxy or carboxylic radical.