Selective diethylzinc reduction of imines in the presence of ketones catalyzed by Ni(acac)2.
A selective reduction method of an electronically deficient imine in the presence of ketone was developed by employing Et(2)Zn and 5 mol % of Ni(acac)(2). The method was applied in the reduction of S(S)-tert-butanesulfinyl ketimines 1 to afford amines 2 in 23-92% yields and 73:27 to 98:2 diastereoselectivities. A plausible mechanism was proposed on the basis of an NMR study.
Xiao
Xue
X
Department of Chemistry of Medicinal Natural Products, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chendu, PR China.
Wang
Haowei
H
Huang
Zhiyan
Z
Yang
Jun
J
Bian
Xiaoxia
X
Qin
Yong
Y