Bifunctional Catalysis: Direct Reductive Amination of Aliphatic Ketones with an Iridium-Phosphate Catalyst.

Chiral amines are one of the ubiquitous functional groups in fine chemical, pharmaceutical and agrochemical products, and the most convenient, economical, and ecobenign synthetic pathway to these amines is direct asymmetric reductive amination (DARA) of prochiral ketones. This paper shows that a wide range of aliphatic ketones can be directly aminated under hydrogenation conditions, affording chiral amines with good to excellent yields and with enantioselectivities up to 96% ee. The catalysis is effected by the cooperative action of a cationic Cp*Ir(III) complex and its phosphate counteranion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]