Reductive amination of ketones: novel one-step transfer hydrogenations in batch and continuous-flow mode

Various ketones were efficiently transformed into the corresponding amines using ammonium formate in the presence of Zn dust or 10% Pd/C. The low-cost Zn dust method proved to be effective in amine formation from carbonyl groups at the benzylic side-chain position of aromatic systems, whereas 10% Pd/C was an efficient catalyst in the reductive aminations of carbonyl groups non-conjugated with any π-system. The 10% Pd/C-catalyzed reductions were performed more effectively in a continuous-flow X-Cube reactor than in the batch system.