Asymmetric hydrogenation of bicyclic ketones catalyzed by BINAP/IPHAN-Ru(II) complex.

Hydrogenation of 3-quinuclidinone and bicyclo[2.2.2]octan-2-one with a combined catalyst system of RuCl(2)[(S)-binap][(R)-iphan] and t-C(4)H(9)OK in 2-propanol afforded the chiral alcohols in 97-98% ee. 2-Diphenylmethyl-3-quinuclidinone was hydrogenated with the same catalyst to the cis alcohol with perfect diastereo- and enantioselectivity. The reaction of unsymmetrical ketones with a bicyclo[2.2.1] or -[2.2.2] skeleton gave the corresponding alcohols with high stereoselectivity.