Role of noncovalent interactions in the enantioselective reduction of aromatic ketimines with trichlorosilane.

[reaction: see text] Asymmetric reduction of ketimines 1 with trichlorosilane can be catalyzed by a new N-methyl L-valine derived Lewis basic organocatalyst, such as 4d, with high enantioselectivity. The structure-reactivity investigation suggests hydrogen bonding and arene-arene interactions between the catalyst and the incoming imine as the main factor determining the enantiofacial selectivity.