Direct Catalytic Asymmetric Reductive Amination of Aliphatic Ketones Utilizing Diphenylmethanamine as Coupling Partner

The highly efficient direct catalytic reductive amination of ketones with diphenylmethanamine catalyzed by iridium-phosphoramidite complexes is described. As an effective coupling partner, diphenylmethanamine is suitable for a wide range of ketones to provide chiral amines in high yields and enantioselectivity. The chiral monodentate phosphoramidite ligands are tunable and competent to accommodate substrates with different structures.