An iridium catalyst enables the reductive amination of carbonyl groups with unprecedented substrate scope, selectivity, and activity using formic acid as the hydrogen source (see scheme). The catalyst system provides significant improvement over commonly used boron hydrides.

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Compounds (IV), (V), and (VI) are characterized by single crystal XRD, cyclic voltammetry, IR, and UV/VIS spectroscopy.

Reductive amination of a wide variety of aromatic and aliphatic ketones and aldehydes with primary and secondary amines proceeds smoothly in the presence of a novel cyclometalated Ir catalyst.