Abstract: Disclosed is a selective ester production process of an alcoholic hydroxyl group, which proceeds under chemically mild conditions, while having adequate environmental suitability, operability and economical efficiency. Specifically disclosed is a process for producing an ester compound, which is characterized in that an alcohol and a carboxylic acid ester compound are reacted in the presence of a compound containing zinc element, thereby selectively acylating a hydroxyl group of the alcohol.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a ruthenium complex comprises the step of reacting a ruthenium compound represented by general formula (1): [RuX(L)(PP)]X??(1), wherein Ru represents a ruthenium atom; X represents a halogen atom; L represents an arene; and PP represents an optically active bisphosphine, with a carboxylate salt represented by general formula (2): R1CO2M??(2), wherein M represents a monovalent cation; and R1 represents a group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, phenyl groups optionally having a substituent(s), 1-aminoalkyl groups and 1-amino-1-phenylalkyl groups, to produce a ruthenium complex represented by general formula (3): Ru(OCOR1)2(PP)??(3), wherein R1 represents the group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, phenyl groups optionally having a substituent(s), 1-aminoalkyl groups and 1-amino-1-phenylalkyl groups; and PP represents the optically active bisphosphine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a selective ester production process of an alcoholic hydroxyl group, which proceeds under chemically mild conditions, while having adequate environmental suitability, operability and economical efficiency. Specifically disclosed is a process for producing an ester compound, which is characterized in that an alcohol and a carboxylic acid ester compound are reacted in the presence of a compound containing zinc element, thereby selectively acylating a hydroxyl group of the alcohol.

Abstract: The present invention provides a water-soluble transition metal-diamine complex which can be easily separated from reaction products through liquid separation, etc. and is recycleable; an optically active diamine compound constituting the ligand of the complex; and a catalyst for asymmetric synthesis which comprises these. The present invention relates to a water-soluble optically active transition metal-diamine complex represented by the formula (2): [wherein R1 and R2 each represents hydrogen, a hydrocarbon group, —SO2R13 (wherein R13 is a hydrocarbon group, substituted amino, etc.), etc.; R3 to R12 each represents hydrogen, a hydrocarbon group, alkoxy, substituted amino, etc.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a ruthenium complex comprises the step of reacting a ruthenium compound represented by general formula (1): [RuX(L)(PP)]X ??(1), wherein Ru represents a ruthenium atom; X represents a halogen atom; L represents an arene; and PP represents an optically active bisphosphine, with a carboxylate salt represented by general formula (2): R1CO2M ??(2), wherein M represents a monovalent cation; and R1 represents a group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, phenyl groups optionally having a substituent(s), 1-aminoalkyl groups and 1-amino-1-phenylalkyl groups, to produce a ruthenium complex represented by general formula (3): Ru(OCOR1)2(PP) ??(3), wherein R1 represents the group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, phenyl groups optionally having a substituent(s), 1-aminoalkyl groups and 1-amino-1-phenylalkyl groups; and PP represents the optically active bisphosphine.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To provide a method by which desired optically active carboxylic acids may be prepared from a carboxylic acid having a carbon-carbon double bond through asymmetric hydrogenation with a catalyst consisting of a transition metal complex containing a water-soluble ligand and which permits easy separation of the used catalyst from the product by liquid-liquid separation alone and enables the recovery of an expensive transition metal and the reuse of the catalyst. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Phosphines represented by the general formula (1): wherein X1 is oxygen or methylene; X2 is methylene, ethylene, trimethylene, 1,2-dimethylethylene, isopropylidene, or difluoromethylene; A is a Group IA alkali metal of the periodic table, hydrogen, or an ammonium ion; and a, b, c and d are each an integer of 0 or 1, with the proviso that the cases wherein the sum of a, b, c, and d is 0 are excepted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a water-soluble transition metal-diamine complex which can be easily separated from reaction products through liquid separation, etc. and is recycleable; an optically active diamine compound constituting the ligand of the complex; and a catalyst for asymmetric synthesis which comprises these. The present invention relates to a water-soluble optically active transition metal-diamine complex represented by the formula (2): [wherein R1 and R2 each represents hydrogen, a hydrocarbon group, —SO2R13 (wherein R13 is a hydrocarbon group, substituted amino, etc.), etc.; R3 to R12 each represents hydrogen, a hydrocarbon group, alkoxy, substituted amino, etc.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To provide a method by which desired optically active carboxylic acids may be prepared from a carboxylic acid having a carbon-carbon double bond through asymmetric hydrogenation with a catalyst consisting of a transition metal complex containing a water-soluble ligand and which permits easy separation of the used catalyst from the product by liquid-liquid separation alone and enables the recovery of an expensive transition metal and the reuse of the catalyst. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Phosphines represented by the general formula (1): wherein X1 is oxygen or methylene; X2 is methylene, ethylene, trimethylene, 1,2-dimethylethylene, isopropylidene, or difluoromethylene; A is a Group IA alkali metal of the periodic table, hydrogen, or an ammonium ion; and a, b, c and d are each an integer of 0 or 1, with the proviso that the cases wherein the sum of a, b, c, and d is 0 are excepted.

Abstract: A method for producing a desired optically active carboxylic acid with a high optical purity, wherein a complex catalyst used can be recovered and reused as an aqueous solution. The method contains the step of subjecting an &agr;,&bgr; -unsaturated carboxylic acid in water or a mixed solvent of water and a water-insoluble organic solvent in the presence of a sulfonated BINAP—Ru complex represented by the formula [3]: [RuX(arene){(SO?3#191M)?2#191-BINAP}]X [3]wherein X represents a chlorine atom, a bromine atom or an iodine atom, arene represents a benzene or an alkyl-substituted benzene, M represents an alkaline metal atom, and BINAP represents 2,2?-bis(diphenylphosphine)-1,1?-binaphthyl to an asymmetric hydrogenation. The sulfonated BINAP—Ru complex can be recycled.

Abstract: A novel transition metal complex, preferably a ruthenium-phosphine complex or rhodium-phosphine complex, which is effectively usable in various asymmetric syntheses and, in particular, is more effectively usable in the asymmetric hydrogenation of various ketones; and a novel process for producing an optically active alcohol with the complex. The novel transition metal complex includes a ligand obtained by introducing a diarylphosphino group into each of the 2- and 2?-positions of diphenyl ether, benzophenone, benzhydrol, or the like. It preferably further includes an optically active 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine coordinated thereto. The complex preferably is a novel diphosphine-ruthenium-optically active diamine complex or diphosphine-rhodium-optically active diamine complex. The process comprises using the complex as an asymmetric hydrogenation catalyst to conduct the asymmetric hydrogenation of a ketone compound to thereby obtain an optically active alcohol in a high optical purity and a high yield.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method for preparing easily and efficiently ?-butyrolactones and/or optically active 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid derivatives in high optical purity by use of an easily available hydrolase, which are useful as intermediates for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for preparing ?-butyrolactones and/or optically active 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid derivatives with an optical purity of substantially 100% ee, comprising reacting a ?-butyrolactone which is a mixture of optical isomers, with a nucleophilic agent in the presence of a hydrolase, provided that a lipase derived from porcine pancreas is excluded.

Abstract: Provided is a process for preparing an optically active ruthenium-phosphine complex represented by the following formula (1): wherein L represents a bidentate ligand compound of a tertiary phosphine; X represents a halogen atom; and * means chiral center (L* is an optically active substance), which comprises reacting a ruthenium-phosphine complex represented by: RumXnLpAq or [RuX(D)(L)]X wherein, X and L have the same meanings as described above (L is a racemic modification); A represents triethylamine (Et3N), etc.; and m, n, p and q each stands for an integer and D represents benzene, etc. with ½ equivalent of a specific optically active chiral diamine, thereby inactivating one of the enantiomers; and then with a specific optically active diamine derivative, thereby activating the other enantiomer.

Abstract: A novel process in which an optically active alcohol compound having a desired absolute configuration and a high optical purity can be obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto acid compound through a simple operation. An optically active alcohol represented by general formula (III) as defined is obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto ester compound represented by general formula (I) as defined in the presence of at least one ruthenium complex having as a ligand an optically active tertiary diphosphine compound represented by general formula (II) as defined.

Abstract: A process for producing a diphosphine oxide or diphosphonate represented by formula (1) as defined, which comprises treating, with a base, a phosphine compound represented by formula (2) as defined and adding the thus-treated phosphine compound to a nonpolar solvent having an oxidative metal compound suspended therein so as to effect dimerization. The present invention makes it possible to produce, conveniently, in a high yield and safely, a diphosphine oxide or diphosphonate which is an intermediate for producing a diphosphine compound useful as a ligand of a metal complex serving as a catalyst for asymmetric synthesis reaction.

Abstract: Disclosed are a phosphine derivative represented by formula (I): wherein Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group, a transition metal complex comprising the phosphine derivative or a polymer thereof as a ligand, and a process for producing an optically active amino acid compound by asymmetric hydrogenation using the transition metal complex as a catalyst.

Abstract: A novel process in which an optically active alcohol compound having a desired absolute configuration and a high optical purity can be obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto acid compound through a simple operation. An optically active alcohol represented by general formula (III) as defined is obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a &bgr;-keto ester compound represented by general formula (I) as defined in the presence of at least one ruthenium complex having as a ligand an optically active tertiary diphosphine compound represented by general formula (II) as defined.

Abstract: Provided is a method for the production of 1-menthol, which comprises hydrogenation of piperitenone with a transition metal complex of a specified optically active phosphine to produce pulegone, hydrogenation of the obtained pulegone with a ruthenium-phosphine-amine complex in the presence of base to obtain pulegol, and further hydrogenation of the pulegol with a transition metal catalyst.

Abstract: Provided is a method for the production of 1-menthol, which comprises hydrogenation of piperitenone with a transition metal complex of a specified optically active phosphine to produce pulegone, hydrogenation of the obtained pulegone with a ruthenium-phosphine-amine complex in the presence of base to obtain pulegol, and further hydrogenation of the pulegol with a transition metal catalyst.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel diphosphine compound which is useful as a ligand of catalysts for asymmetric synthesis reactions, particularly asymmetric hydrogenation reaction. Particularly, it provides a diphosphine compound represented by a general formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents a cycloalkyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group or a five-membered aromatic heterocycle residue.

Abstract: Provided is a process for preparing an optically active ruthenium-phosphine complex represented by the following formula (1): 1