Single Nucleotide-Catalyzed Biomimetic Reductive Amination

We have successfully developed a single nucleotide (adenosine 5'-diphosphate)-catalyzed enantioselective direct reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones using a Hantzsch ester as reducing agent. The process is a simple, efficient and a real mimic of the NADH reduction approach for the synthesis of structurally diverse amines. This reaction is the first report demonstrating the ability of a single nucleotide as catalyst and one of the most genuine biomimetic reactions of organic chemistry.