| abstract |
A compound of formula (1): <EMI ID=1.1 HE=28 WI=113 LX=467 LY=762 TI=CF> <PC>wherein R1 and R2 are each independently alkyl, phenyl, naphthyl, cycloalkyl, or an alicydic ring formed by binding R1 and R2, which may have a substituent R3 is H or alkyl; Cp is an optionally substituted cyclopentadienyl group, which may have a substituent, bound to M1 via a bond; X' is hydrido or halo; M1 is rhodium or iridium; * denotes asymmetric carbon. In another aspect, a process for preparing optically-active alcohols via asymmetric reduction of ketones by reaction of the ketone with a hydrogen-dontaing compound in the presence of a compound of formula (2) wherein R1 and R2 are as above; R3 is as above; Ar is an optionally substituted Cp ring or benzene; X2 is hydrido or an anion; M2 is rhodium or iridium; n is 0 or 1; X2 is absent when n is 0; * denotes asymmetric carbon. |