Reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones using sodium borohydride in the presence of silica chloride under solvent-free conditions

A simple and convenient procedure for the preparation of amines from aldehydes and ketones with sodium borohydride activated by silica chloride as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions is described. A variety of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, ketones and amines when mixed with NaBH4/Silica chloride at room temperature, afforded excellent yield of the corresponding amines. (C) 2009 Heshmatollah Alinezhad. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.