Asymmetric Reduction of α‐Amino Ketones with a KBH4 Solution Catalyzed by Chiral Lewis Acids

Abstract

An efficient enantioselective reduction of α-amino ketones with potassium borohydride solution catalyzed by chiral N,N'-dioxide-metal complex catalysts was accomplished under mild reaction conditions for the first time. It provided a simple, convenient, and practical approaches for obtaining synthetically important chiral β-amino alcohols in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) and enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).