Synthesis of Planar Chiral Shvo Catalysts for Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation

A new type of planar chiral Shvo catalysts, where the chirality is based solely on different substitution flanking the CO function, was prepared and used for transfer hydrogenation of imines and ketones. The reduction of ketimines represented by N-(1-phenylethylidene)aniline and prochiral ketones such as phenyl trifluoromethyl ketone with 2-propanol was efficiently catalyzed by 0.5 mol% of the chiral Shvo catalyst to give high yields of the corresponding reduction products with the enantioselectivities in the range 45% to 64% ee.