PROCESS FOR HYDROGENATING UNACTIVATED IMINES USING RUTHENIUM COMPLEXES AS CATALYSTS

摘要

A process is provided for the hydrogenation or asymmetric hydrogenation of dialkyl, alkylalkenyl and dialkenyl imines of formula (II) to provide amines of formula (III), wherein, (i) R¹ and R² are optionally substituted cyclic, linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl; R³ is a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy radical, optionally substituted C₁ to C₈ cyclic, linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, optionally substituted aryl; or (ii) R¹ is alkyl or alkenyl, R² is alkyl or alkenyl and the two are linked together or with R³ to form one or more rings; using a catalytic system comprising a base and a ruthenium complex containing (1) a diamine and (2) a diphosphine ligand or monodentate phosphine ligands in hydrogenation and asymmetric hydrogenation processes.