Hoffmann-la Roche Inc.

John M Townsend

Donald H Valentine, Jr

Percy Sarwood Manchand

Novel substituted diphenyl tertiary phosphines of a pyrrolidine carboxylic acid derivative and their use as catalysts in the enantioselective hydrogenation of .alpha.-keto-.beta.,.beta.-dimethyl-.gamma.-butyrolactone.

Chiral phosphines

A process for the preparation of aromatic ethers by the bromination of a compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, independently, is hydrogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkyl; m is an integer from 1-4, and A is --CHO, --COOR.sub.3 or lower alkyl, and subsequently treating the reaction product of the bromination step with an alkali metal alkoxide in the presence of cuprous halide or oxide, is described.

Process for aromatic ethers

Novel Group IB and IIB metal phosphine complexes are disclosed. These complexes are reacted with rhodium complex precursors to form useful enantioselective hydrogenation catalysts. Also disclosed is a method of preparing useful compounds having optical activity such as natural products and compounds useful as flavors and fragrances.

Metal phosphine complex

Group IB and IIB metal phosphine complexes are disclosed. These complexes are reacted with rhodium complex precursors to form useful enantioselective hydrogenation catalysts. Also disclosed is a method of preparing useful compounds having optical activity such as natural products and compounds useful as flavors and fragrances.

The conversion of triaryl phosphine oxide to the corresponding phosphine by reduction with hydrogen utilizing sulfur or selenium as the catalyst wherein said reduction is carried out in the presence of silicon tetrahalide.

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Montclair, NJ, United States of America

John M Townsend