Ruthenium N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes for Chemoselective Reduction of Imines and Reductive Amination of Aldehydes and Ketones

Chemoselective reduction of imines to secondary amines is catalyzed efficiently by tethered and untethered, half-sandwich ruthenium N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes at room temperature. The untethered Ru-NHC complexes are more efficient as catalysts for the reduction of aldimines and ketimines than the tethered complexes. Using the best untethered complex as a catalyst, electronic and steric demands on the reaction was probed using a series of imines. Chemoselectivity of the catalyst towards imine reduction was tested by performing inter and intramolecular competitive reactions in a variety of ways. The catalyst exhibits a very high TON and TOF under anaerobic conditions.