A simple and efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of heteroaromatic ketones with iridium catalyst composed of chiral diamines and achiral phosphines

[Display omitted] •An Iridium catalyst was used for heteroaromatic ketones asymmetric hydrogenation;•Cheap phosphine ligands and cinchona alkaloids derivatives were used;•A series of heteroaromatic ketones has been well asymmetric hydrogenated;•98.6% ee and high up to 2.18 × 104(1/h) TOF were obtained under mild conditions. An efficient iridium catalyst composed of a simple and commercially available o-methoxytriphenylphosphine and 9-Amino (9-deoxy) epi-cinchonine was applied to the asymmetric hydrogenation of heteroaromatic ketones. A range of simple heteroaromatic ketones could be hydrogenated with good to excellent enantioselectivities and high activities. In particular, thiophene ketones and furyl ketones furnished 98.6% ee with up to 2.18 × 104(1/h) TOF. This catalytic system can be of practical value.