Abstract: The effects of substrate concentration, modifier amount, hydrogen pressure and temperature on initial hydrogenation rate and enantiometric excess were investigated to synthesize ethyl (R)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyrate over Pt/Al₂O₃ modified by 10,11-dicinchonidine. Based on the proposed mechanism, kinetic models were established for the enantioselective hydrogenation and the parameters were estimated by fitting the experimental data. A rational model, which could describe the reaction well, was determined.