Efficient ruthenium catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of functionalized imines by isopropanol under controlled microwave heating

Transfer hydrogenation of various functionalized imines by isopropanol catalyzed by [Ru(CO)(2)(Ph4C4CO)](2) (3) has been studied. The use of either an oil bath or controlled microwave heating in toluene led to an efficient procedure with high turnover frequencies and the product amines were obtained in high yields. An advantage with catalyst 3 over the conventional [Ru-2(CO)(4)(mu-H)(Ph4C4COHOCC4Ph4)] (1) is the absence of an initiation period, which results in a faster reaction with 3 as compared to 1.