The multiphase heterogeneous enantioselective hydrogenation of acetophenone in the presence of cinchona-modified Pt/C was investigated. The system demonstrated the feasibility of this reaction on non-activated ketones. The reaction proceeded selectively, at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, towards the formation of 1-phenylethanol, with up to 20% ee (enantiomeric excess) of either enantiomer depending on the modifier used. A mode of action of the modifier is proposed to account for the mechanism. A comparison with other systems indicates that the investigated system likely acts by a different mechanism, and that it is quite specific for acetophenone. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.