Asymmetric hydrogen transfer reactions from propan-2-ol to ketones catalyzed by Ir(I) derivatives with chiral schiff bases

Abstract

Alkyl phenyl ketones are effectively reduced using propan-2-ol as hydrogen source and a series of Ir(I) complexes with chiral bidentate Schiff bases as catalysts. Both the activity and the selectivity strongly depend on the nature of the substituents at the chiral center of the ligand and at the prochiral center of the substrate. Optical yields of 50% (100% conversion) are obtained in the reduction of t-butyl phenyl ketone and benzyl phenyl ketone.