The invention concerns a process for the manufacture of substituted propionic acids comprising providing a substrate of formula (I): And subjecting the substrate to enantioselective hydrogenation under enantioselective hydrogenation conditions in the presence of an enantioselective hydrogenation catalyst comprising a catalyst ligand having a metallocene group with a chiral phosphorus or arsenic substituent to provide in enantiomeric excess a product of formula (II): or its enantiomer or if applicable its diastereomer.