Asymmetric Hydrogenation with Modified Raney Nickel. V. Studies on the Modified Hydrogenation Catalyst. VI

Abstract 1) The asymmetric activities of Raney nickel catalysts modified with (+)-2-methylglutamic acid or (+)-2-benzylglutamic acid have been formed to be quite different from that of the catalyst modified with l-glutamic acid. 2) Levorotatory methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate is obtained by the catalyst modified with (+)-2-methylglutamic acid, and the dextrorotatory product by the catalyst modified with (+)-2-benzylglutamic acid. With the catalyst modified with l-glutamic acid, however, the direction of optical rotation of the hydrogenation product is much influenced by the pH and by the temperature of the modifying solution.