Ketone H2-hydrogenation catalysts: Ruthenium complexes with the headphone-like ligand bis(phosphaadamantyl)propane

Ruthenium complexes [RuHCl(bpap)(PPh3)] and trans-[RuHCl(bpap)(diamine)] are prepared using the racemic bis(phosphaadamantyl)propane ligand (bpap). The diamine complexes are very active catalysts for H2-hydrogenation of neat acetophenone in the presence of KOtBu as a strong base under mild conditions but the ee in the 1-phenethanol product is low.