A Rapid and Additive-Free Ruthenium-Catalyzed Reductive Amination of Aromatic Aldehydes

The ruthenium complex [((6)-cymene)Ru(Cl)(dpmpy)](+) {dpmpy = 2-[2-(dimethylamino)pyrimidin-4-yl]pyridine} is highly reactive in catalyzing the reductive amination of aromatic aldehydes through in situ generated imines with 2-propanol as the hydrogen source following a transfer-hydrogenation mechanism. This transformation does not require any activating additives and is applicable to a broad variety of aldehydes.