A series of BoPhoz-type ligands were successfully appliedin the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of anumber of
-substituted or unsubstituted
-(phthalimidomethyl)acrylates, affording good to excellent enantioselectivities. The results suggested that the presence of an N-Hproton in the BoPhoz backbone could significantly improvethe enantioselectivity, and ligand (
Sc,
Rp)-
1d, bearing two CF
3-groups in the 3,5-position of the phenyl ring of aminophosphino moiety, showed the highest enantioselectivity.