Synthesis of Optically Active α-Amino- phosphinic Acids by Catalytic Asymmetric Hydrogenation in Organic Solvents and Aqueous Micellar Media

Enantiomeric excesses of up to 99 % could be obtained in the synthesis of the biologically interesting acylated α-aminophosphinic acids 1 (R¹=Me, Ph; R²=H, Me, Et; R³=H, F, iPr) by asymmetric hydrogenation with rhodium complex catalysts and subsequent hydrolysis [Eq. (1)]. cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene.