Increase in the Enantioselectivity of Asymmetric Hydrogenation in Water Influenced by Surfactants or Polymerized Micelles

Micelle-forming substances or polymeric micelles 1 enhance not only the rate of the hydrogenation of esters of (Z)-2-N-acyldehydroamino acids in water, but also its enantioselectivity. A high sensitivity of the optical induction to achiral modifiers is observed for the new precatalyst 2.