Abstract: A method for efficiently producing L-2-amino-4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)-butanoic acid, useful as a herbicide, by a catalytic asymmetric synthesis reaction with a high asymmetric yield. The method includes a step in which a compound represented by the below formula (1) and a benzylamine are reacted in the presence of dehydrating agent, then the resulting mass is reacted with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of an asymmetric catalyst, followed by acid hydrolysis, further followed by elimination of a protective group. [chemical formula 1] (1) (where, R1 represents a C1-4 alkyl group.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for producing optically active aminophosphinylbutanoic acids represented by the formula (2) (in the formula (2), R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), R2 represents hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), R3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), an aryl group, an aryloxy group, or a benzyloxy group, and R4 represents hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s); and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom), wherein a compound represented by the formula (1) (in the formula (1), R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), R2 represents hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), R3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s), an aryl group, an aryloxy group, or a benzyloxy group, and R4 represents hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom(s)) i

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for efficiently and highly selectively producing L-2-amino-4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)-butanoic acid, which is useful as a herbicide, through a catalytic asymmetric synthesis reaction. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing L-2-amino-4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)-butanoic acid which is characterized in that a dehydroamino acid is subjected to an asymmetric hydrogenation by using a rhodium catalyst represented by the formula (2) below and having an optically active cyclic phosphine ligand, and then the resulting product is subjected to hydrolysis: [Rh(R4)(L)]X ??(2) [where R4 represents 1,5-cyclooctadien or norbornadien; L represents a substance represented by the following formula (6): (wherein R5 and R8 respectively represent a C1-4 alkyl group; R6 and R7 respectively represent hydrogen atom or hydroxyl group; and Y represents a group selected from groups represented by the following formula (7): (where Me represents methyl group)).].