A process for the assymetric hydrogenation of a compound containing a carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom double bond, wherein said compound is reacted at a temperature of from -20.degree. to 80.degree. C. and a hydrogen pressure of from 10.sup.5 to 2.times.10.sup.7 Pa in the presence of a catalytic amount of one or more metal complexes of the formulae XIIa, XIIb, XIIIa or XIIIb ##STR36## in which R.sub.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, phenyl or phenyl substituted by from 1 to 3 C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy groups;
- R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.10 and R.sub.11, are independently of one another, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl, phenyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or phenyl substituted by from one to three C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, --SiR.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6, halogen, --SO.sub.3 M, --CO.sub.2 M, --PO.sub.3 M, --NR.sub.7 R.sub.8, -(.sup.+ NR.sub.7 R.sub.8 R.sub.9)X.sup.- or C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 fluoroalkyl groups;
- or the groups --PR.sub.2 R.sub.3 and --PR.sub.10 R.sub.11 are each, independently of one another, a radical of the formula II, IIa, IIb or IIc ##STR37## and R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are, independently of one another, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl or phenyl;
- R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 are H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, phenyl or
- R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 are together tetramethylene, pentamethylene or 3-oxa-1,5-pentylene,
- R.sub.9 is H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl;
- R.sub.12 are identical or different radicals and are, independently of one another, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl,
- C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, benzyl or phenyl or together are C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 alkylene and
- R.sub.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkylene or phenylene,
- M is H or an alkali metal,
- X.sup.- is the anion of a monobasic acid,
- A is NH or N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl),
- R.sub.14 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkylene,
- R.sub.15 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl,
- R.sub.a is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or OR.sub.15,
- n is 0, 1 or 2,
- Y is two monoolefin ligands or a diene ligand;
- Me is Ir or Rh;
- D is --CI,--Br, --I;
- E.sup.- is the anion of an oxygen acid or a complex acid,
- Q is a bridging group formed by a diisocyanate;
- PM is the radical of a polymer-forming monomer which bears, directly or in a side chain, a hydroxyl group or a primary or secondary amino group as functional group which is bound to the diphosphine via the bridging group Q formed by the diisocyanate, and
- T is a solid inorganic support material where
- r is 1, 2 or 3 when n is 0,
- r is 1 or 2 when n is 1 and
- r is 1 when n is 2.