Enantioselective Synthesis of anti-1,2-Diamines by Cu-Catalyzed Reductive Couplings of Azadienes with Aldimines and Ketimines.

Here we report highly efficient and chemoselective azadiene-imine reductive couplings catalyzed by (Ph-BPE)Cu-H that afford anti-1,2-diamines. In all cases, reactions take place with either aldimine or ketimine electrophiles to deliver a single diastereomer of product in >95:5 er. The products' diamines are easily differentiable, facilitating downstream synthesis.