Hydrogenation of Ketones on Dispersed Chiral-Modified Palladium Nanoparticles.

Hydrogenation of acetophenone and esters of ketoacids with molecular hydrogen in the presence of the Pd(acac)2-(-)-cinchonidine-H2 catalytic system has been studied. The dependence of the molar ratio of (-)-cinchonidine/Pd on size and shape of palladium nanoparticles, formed in the system, also on reaction rate and enantioselectivity has been established. The nature of the regularities observed for the Pd(acac)2-(-)-cinchonidine-H2 catalytic system was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]