Asymmetric reduction of ketones with sodium aluminum hydride modified with chiral amino alcohols

Abstract

Asymmetric reduction of ketones with hydride complexes, which were prepared by in situ modification of NaAlH4, with various chiral amino alcohols or diamines, was studied. The highest enantioselectivity (up to 93% ee) was achieved using 2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)pyrrolidine as a chiral inducing agent.