Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation

The Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation is a chemical reaction described as an asymmetric reduction of β-keto-esters.



Both enantiomers of BINAP are commercially available. Additionally, both BINAP enantiomers can be prepared from (±)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol.

Several reviews have been published.

Ryoji Noyori discovered this catalytic reduction system in 1987 and shared half of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2001 with William S. Knowles for the study of chirally catalyzed hydrogenations; the second half of the Prize went to K. Barry Sharpless for his study in chirally catalyzed oxidation reactions (Sharpless epoxidation).