Ruthenium-Catalyzed Atropoenantioselective Synthesis of Axial Biaryls via Reductive Amination and Dynamic Kinetic Resolution.

The unprecedented ruthenium-catalyzed atropoenantioselective reductive amination of aldehydes with alkylamines via a cascade transfer hydrogenation and dynamic kinetic resolution strategy is described. This protocol features broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerance and allows the rapid assembly of axially chiral biaryls in good to high yields with high to excellent enantioselectivities. In addition, such structural motifs may have potential applications in enantioselective catalysis as chiral ligands or catalysts.