New organic activators for the enantioselective reduction of aromatic imines with trichlorosilane

N-Picolinoyl-(2S)-(diphenylhydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine was found to work as an organic activator in the reduction of aromatic imines to the corresponding amines by Cl3SiH. The highest selectivity was 80%, ee. These are the first data showing that N-formyl group is not always essential as N-protecting group of pyrrolidine derivatives for the reduction of imines by Cl3SiH. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.