Abstract: Compounds of formula I ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 denotes identical or different radicals and is linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, unsubstituted C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl which is substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or is phenyl or benzyl, or both substituents R.sub.1 of a group (R.sub.1).sub.2 P are o,o-diphenylene, R.sub.2 is hydrogen, linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, phenyl or benzyl, R.sub.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkylene, R.sub.4 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.18 alkylene, phenylene or benzylene, and R.sub.5 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or phenyl, can be applied to solid carriers, such as silica gel or aerosils, and complexed with rhodium or iridium compounds. These materials are heterogeneous and separable catalysts for the assymetrical hydrogenation of prochiral compounds containing carbon double bonds or carbon/hetero atom double bonds, for example ketones and imines.

Abstract: Compounds of formula I ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, phenyl or phenyl which is substituted by 1 to 3 C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy groups; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are identical and are C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl- or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy-substituted C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl, or phenyl which is substituted by one to three identical or different members selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, --SiR.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6, halogen, --SO.sub.3 M, --CO.sub.2 M, --PO.sub.3 M,--NR.sub.7 R.sub.8 and --[.sup..sym. NR.sub.7 R.sub.8 R.sub.9 ]X.sup..crclbar. ; or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are different and are C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl- or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy-substituted C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl, phenyl or phenyl which is substituted by one to three identical or different members selected from the group consisting of C.sub.

Abstract: Compounds where a solid carrier material which contains diphosphine rhodium or iridium complexes fixed on the surface thereof, of which the carrier material has the formula IV or IVa: ##STR1## wherein Y denotes two monoolefin ligands or a diene ligand, M is Ir(I) or Rh(i), Z is --Cl, --Br or -I, A.crclbar. is the anion of an oxyacid or complex acid, T is a solid carrier material, r is 0, 1 or 2, and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are as defined in claim 1. These materials are heterogeneous and separable catalysts for the asymmetrical hydrogenation of prochiral compounds containing carbon double bonds or carbon/hetero atom double bonds, for example ketones and imines.

Abstract: Compounds of formula II ##STR1## wherein the groups (R.sub.1).sub.2 P(CH.sub.2).sub.m bzw.n are in o- or m-position to each other and the substituents R.sub.1 are identical or different radicals, m and n are each independently of the other 0 or 1, R.sub.1 is linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, unsubstituted C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl which is substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or is phenyl or benzyl, or both substituents R.sub.1 in a group (R.sub.1).sub.2 P together are o,o'-diphenylene, --R.sub.2 --X-- is a bond or --(C.sub.x H.sub.2x --O).sub.y --, or X-- is O-- and R.sub.2 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkylene, x is an integer from 2 to 6 and y is an integer from 2 to 6, R.sub.3 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.18 alkylene, phenylene or benzylene, and R.sub.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or phenyl, can be applied to solid carriers, such as silica gel or aerosils, and complexed with rhodium or iridium compounds.

Abstract: Compounds of formula I ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 denotes identical or different radicals and is linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, unsubstituted C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl which is substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or is phenyl or benzyl, or both substituents R.sub.1 of a group (R.sub.1).sub.2 P are o,o'-diphenylene, R.sub.2 is hydrogen, linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, phenyl or benzyl, R.sub.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkylene, R.sub.4 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.18 alkylene, phenylene or benzylene, and R.sub.5 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or phenyl, can be applied to solid carriers, such as silica gel or aerosils, and complexed with rhodium or iridium compounds. These materials are heterogeneous and separable catalysts for the asymmetrical hydrogenation of prochiral compounds containing carbon double bonds or carbon/hetero atom double bonds, for example ketones and imines.

Abstract: Compounds of formula II ##STR1## wherein the groups (R.sub.1).sub.2 P(CH.sub.2).sub.m and n are in o- or m-position to each other and the substituents R.sub.1 are identical or different radicals, m and n are each independently of the other 0 or 1, R.sub.1 is linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, unsubstituted C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl which is substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or is phenyl or benzyl, or both substituents R.sub.1 in a group (R.sub.1).sub.2 P together are o,o'-diphenylene, --R.sub.2 --X-- is a bond or --(C.sub.x H.sub.2x --O).sub.y --, or X-- is O-- and R.sub.2 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkylene, x is an integer from 2 to 6 and y is an integer from 2 to 6, R.sub.3 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.18 alkylene, phenylene or benzylene, and R.sub.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or phenyl, can be applied to solid carriers, such as silica gel or aerosils, and complexed with rhodium or iridium compounds.

Abstract: The asymmetric hydrogenation of aliphatic .alpha.-keto esters in the presence of rhodium catalysts which contain as chiral ligand a diphosphine of formula IV(R.sub.3).sub.2 P--Q--P(R.sub.3)hd 2 (IV)wherein R.sub.3 is phenyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkylphenyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxyphenyl, and Q is [2,2,1]-bicyloheptan-1,2-ylene or [2,2,1]-bicyclohept-4,5-en-1,2-ylene, gives the corresponding (R)- or(S)-.alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid esters in high rates of chemical conversion and in high enantiomer excesses.

Abstract: Compounds of general formula I or Ia ##STR1## or mixtures thereof, wherein the groups P-L-P are a ligand from the group comprising diphosphine and diphosphinite, in which the secondary phosphine groups or phosphinite groups P are coupled via 2 to 4 C atoms, and which form a 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring with the Ir atoms, X, X.sup.1, X.sup.2, X.sup.3, X.sup.4, X.sup.5 and X.sup.6 independently of the others are Cl, Br or I, or X.sup.1 and X.sup.6 and H and X.sup.2, X.sup.3, X.sup.4 and X.sup.5 independently of the others are Cl, Br or I, or X.sup.1 and X.sup.5 and H and X.sup.2, X.sup.3, X.sup.4 and X.sup.6 independently of the others are Cl, Br or I, and M.sup..sym. is an alkali metal cation or quaternary ammonium. The compounds are suitable as homogeneous catalysts for the (preferably) asymmetric hydrogenation of N-substituted imines to secondary amines.

Abstract: Asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral N-aliphatic ketimines to give optically active secondary amines at a temperature from -20.degree. to 80.degree. C., a hydrogen pressure of 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.7 Pa, with the addition of catalytic amounts of an iridium compound of the formula III or IIIa[XIrYZ] (III)or[XIrY].sup..sym. A.sup..crclbar. (IIIa)in which X is two olefin ligands or a diene ligand, Y is a chiral diphosphine the secondary phosphine group of which are attached through 2-4 C atoms and which, together with the Ir atom, forms a 5-membered, 6-membered or 7-membered ring, or Y is a chiral diphosphinite the phosphinite groups of which are attached via 2 C atoms and which, together with the Ir atom, forms a 7-membered ring, Z is Cl, Br or I and A.sup.- is the anion of an oxygen acid or complex acid, and, if appropriate, with the addition of an ammonium chloride, bromide or iodide or an alkali metal chloride, bromide or iodide.

Abstract: Asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral N-arylketimines to give optically active secondary amines at a temperature of -20.degree. to 80.degree. C., a hydrogen pressure of 10.sup.5 to 6.10.sup.6 Pa with the addition of catalytic amounts of an iridium compound of the formula III or IIIa[XIrYZ] (III)or[XIrY.sup..sym. A.sup..crclbar. (IIIa)in which X is two olefin ligands or one diene ligand, Y is a chiral diphosphine, the secondary phosphine groups of which are linked by 2-4 C atoms and which, together with the Ir atom, forms a 5-, or 6- or 7-ring, or Y is a chiral diphosphinite, the phosphinite groups of which are linked via 2 C atoms and which together with the Ir atom forms a 7-ring, Z is Cl, Br or I and A.sup.63 is the anion of an oxygen acid or complex acid, and if appropriate with the addition of an ammonium or alkali metal chloride, bromide or iodide.