Abstract A series of novel optically active diphosphine ligands,(4, 4′-bi-1, 3-benzodioxole)- 5, 5′-diylbis (diarylphosphine) s (6), which are called SEGPHOS, has been designed and synthesized with dihedral angles in the Ru complexes being less than that in the corresponding BINAP-Ru complex. The stereorecognition abilities of SEGPHOS-Ru complex catalysts in the asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation of a wide variety of carbonyl ...