Catalytic Leuckart-Wallach-Type Reductive Amination of Ketones

Abstract

Cp*Rh(III) complex catalyzes reductive amination of ketones using HCOONH4 at 50-70 °C to give the corresponding primary amines in high yields. The reaction is clean and operationally simple and proceeds at a lower temperature and with higher chemoselectivity than the original Leuckart-Wallach reaction. The new method has been applied to the synthesis of R-amino acids directly from R-keto acids.