Copper-Catalyzed Enantioselective Reductive Cross-Coupling of Aldehydes and Imines.

A copper-catalyzed enantioselective reductive cross-coupling using aromatic aldehydes and imines, producing chiral β-amino alcohols, is described. The catalytic formation of enantioenriched chiral α-alkoxyalkylcopper(I) species from aromatic aldehydes and the subsequent reaction with imine electrophiles are attractive features of this protocol.