Stereoselective catalytic synthesis of chiral trifluoromethyl aryl and alkyl amines

In our recent work we have showed that the enantioselective organocatalytic reduction of fluorinated ketoimines may be successfully realized by using trichloroslane as reducing agent1 in the presence of catalytic amounts of a simple, low cost and easily available picolinamide. The methodology allowed to reduce imines derived both from aryl and alkyl-trifluoromethylketones in very good yields and excellent enantioselectivities, typically with 90% e.e. and up to 98% e.e