Takasago International Corporation

Takasago Perfumery Co., Ltd.

Kazuhide Tani

Hidenori Kumobayashi

Tsuneaki Yamagata

Susumu Akutagawa

Misao Yagi

Yasutaka Kataoka

Seinosuke Otsuka

A novel process for preparing an optically active amine by asymmetric hydrogenation of an imine compound, such as an imine compound prepared by condensing benzylamine and acetophenone, in the presence of a catalytic amount of an iridium-optically active phosphine complex and benzylamine or a benzylamine derivative. The present invention provides an optically active amine of high optical purity.

Process for preparing an optically active amine

A process for the preparation of enamines or imines by isomerization of allylamine derivatives is described. Allylamine derivatives represented by formula (I): ##STR1## are isomerized using as a catalyst a rhodium complex represented by formula (IV):

Process for the preparation of enamines or imines

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Hyogo, Japan

Kazuhide Tani