Access to chiral tertiary amines via the iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of enamines

The asymmetric hydrogenation of N,N-dialkyl and N-alkyl-N-aryl enamines to chiral tertiary amines was studied. All the N,P-ligated iridium complexes investigated were active catalysts for the reaction, but only those with bicycle-supported oxazoline-phosphine ligands gave reasonable stereoinduction. The best catalyst produced a range of chiral tertiary amines in up to 87% ee. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.