Zhou S, Fleischer S, Jiao H, Junge K, Beller M * Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V.
an der Universität Rostock, Germany and Central China Normal University, Wuhan, P.
R. of China
Cooperative Catalysis with Iron and a Chiral Brønsted Acid for Asymmetric Reductive
Amination of Ketones.
Adv. Synth. Catal. 2014;
356: 3451-3455
Key words
Brønsted acids - amines - reductive amination - iron
Significance
Enantiomerically pure chiral amines are very important building blocks to synthesize
numerous pharmaceutical drugs as well as bioactive compounds. The authors report the
first iron-catalyzed asymmetric reductive amination of ketones with anilines in the
presence of hydrogen, leading to chiral amines in moderate to good yields and good
to excellent enantioselectivities.
Comment
The protocol represents a more convenient, simple and practical method for the synthesis
of chiral amines. Interestingly, the combination of the chiral Brønsted acid (TRIP)
catalyst and the non-chiral Knölker complex enabled the reductive amination of ketones
with anilines in a cooperative manner.
