Highly enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of ketones with chiral (NH)2 P2 macrocyclic iron(II) complexes.

Bis(isonitrile) iron(II) complexes bearing a C2 -symmetric diamino (NH)2 P2 macrocyclic ligand efficiently catalyze the hydrogenation of polar bonds of a broad scope of substrates (ketones, enones, and imines) in high yield (up to 99.5 %), excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99 % ee), and with low catalyst loading (generally 0.1 mol %). The catalyst can be easily tuned by modifying the substituents of the isonitrile ligand.