Abstract
The efficient catalytic reduction of imines with phenylsilane is achieved by using the potassium, calcium and strontium based catalysts [(DMAT)K (THF)](∞) , (DMAT)(2) Ca⋅(THF)(2) and (DMAT)(2) Sr⋅(THF)(2) (DMAT=2-dimethylamino-α-trimethylsilylbenzyl). Eight different aldimines and the ketimine Ph(2) C=NPh could be successfully reduced by PhSiH(3) at temperatures between 25-60 °C with catalyst loadings down to 2.5 mol %. Also, simple amides like KN(SiMe(3) )(2) or Ae[N(SiMe(3) )(2) ](2) (Ae=Ca, Sr, Ba) catalyze this reaction. Activities increase with metal size. For most substrates the activity increases along the row K