Process for the homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of .beta.-substituted-.alpha.-acylamido-acrylic acids which yields, after hydrogenation, an optically active mixture. The process comprises the hydrogenation of .beta.-substituted-.alpha.-acylamido-acrylic acids in the presence of an optically active coordinated metal complex hydrogenation catalyst, in which the metal is selected from the group consisting of rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, osmium, palladium and platinum. This process is a generalized process for any asymmetric hydrogenation of .beta.-substituted-.alpha.-acylamido-acrylic acids in which one .alpha.-amino acid enantiomorph is the desired end-product. It is especially useful for the preparation of .alpha.-amino acids found in nature which possess optical activity and which have a hydrogen attached to the asymmetric center. This invention also relates to new optically active coordinated metal complex hydrogenation catalysts.
                            .beta.-取代-.alpha.-酰胺基
丙烯酸的均相催化氢化过程,经过氢化后,产生一个旋光性混合物。该过程包括在旋光性配位
金属复合催化剂的存在下进行.beta.-取代-.alpha.-酰胺基
丙烯酸的氢化,其中
金属选自
铑、
铱、
钌、
锇、
钯和
铂的群体。该过程是用于任何不对称氢化的.beta.-取代-.alpha.-酰胺基
丙烯酸的广义过程,其中一个.alpha.-
氨基酸对映异构体是期望的最终产物。它特别适用于制备在自然界中发现的具有光学活性并且在不对称中心处有氢的.alpha.-
氨基酸。本发明还涉及新的旋光性配位
金属复合催化剂。