Process for the preparation of optically active secondary amines

A process for the preparation of optically active secondary N-aliphatic amines of the formula I ##STR31## in which R.sup.1 is linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, cycloalkyl having 3 to 8 ring C atoms, heterocycloalkyl which is linked via a C atom and has 3 to 8 ring atoms and 1 or 2 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, S and NR.sup.4, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.16 aralkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl which is substituted by the cycloalkyl or heterocycloalkyl or heteroaryl mentioned each of which can be unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 halogenoalkyl, halogen, --OH, --CN, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryloxy, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 arylthio, C.sub.7 -C.sub.16 aralkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.16 aralkoxy or C.sub.7 -C.sub.16 aralkylthio, it being possible for the aryl radicals in turn to be substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 --alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio, halogen, --OH, --CN, --CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5 or --COOR.sup.4, secondary amino having 2 to 24 C atoms, ##STR32## R.sup.5 being H or independently being as defined for R.sup.4 and R.sup.4 being C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, phenyl or benzyl, or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 together being tetramethylene, pentamethylene or 3-oxapentylene;

• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are different from one another and are C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by --OH, --CN, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkoxy, benzyloxy, secondary amino having 2 to 24 C atoms, ##STR33## or --COOR.sup.4, or are cycloalkyl having 3-8 ring C atoms, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl which is unsubstituted or substituted as above for R.sup.1 where the latter is aralkyl and aryl, or C.sub.7 -C.sub.16 aralkyl or --CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5 or --COOR.sup.4 in which R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are as defined above;
• or R.sup.1 is as defined above and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together are alkylene which has 2 to 5 C atoms and is, if appropriate, interrupted by 1 or 2 --O--, --S-- or --NR.sup.4 -- groups, and/or is unsubstituted or substituted by .dbd.O or as above for R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 when the latter are alkyl, and/or is condensed with benzene, furan, thiophene or pyrrole which is unsubstituted or substituted as mentioned above for the aryl radicals, or R.sup.2 is as defined above and R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 together are alkylene which has 2 to 5 C atoms and is, if appropriate, interrupted by 1 or 2 --O--, --S-- or --NR.sup.4 -- groups, and/or is unsubstituted or substituted by .dbd.O or as above for R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 when the latter are alkyl, and/or is condensed with benzene, furan, thiophene or pyrrole which is unsubstituted or substituted as defined above, and * is predominant R-configuration or S-configuration, by the asymmetric catalysed hydrogenation of prochiral ketimines of the formula II ##STR34## in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are as defined above, in the presence of complex salts of a noble metal having chiral ligands, which comprises carrying out the hydrogenation at a temperature from -20.degree. to 80.degree. C. and under a hydrogen pressure from 10.sup.5 Pa to 10.sup.7 Pa and adding to the reaction mixture catalytic amounts of an iridium compound of the formula III or IIIa
• [XIrYZ] (III)
• or
• [XIrY].sym.A.crclbar. (IIIa)
• in which X is two olefin ligands or a diene ligand, Y is a chiral diphosphine the secondary phosphine groups of which are attached through 2-4 C atoms and which, together with the Ir atom, forms a 5-membered, 6-membered or 7-membered ring, or Y is a chiral diphosphinite the phosphinite groups of which are attached via 2 C atoms and which, together with the Ir atom, forms a 7-membered ring, Z is Cl, Br or I and A.crclbar. is the anion of an oxygen acid or complex acid.