Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones catalyzed by the iridium hydride complex under ambient conditions

The chiral Ir catalytic system generated in situ from iridium hydride complex and chiral diaminodiphosphine ligand was employed in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones to give the corresponding optically active alcohols, with up to 99% ee in high yield were obtained even when the substrate-to-catalyst molar ratio reached 10000:1.