A diverse array of isoquinolines and phenanthridines have been accessed by developing a two-step, one-pot method constituting regioselective palladium-catalyzed Kuwajima–Urabe α-arylation of silylenol ethers and acid-mediated deprotection, annulation, and aromatization. Structural diversity in the silylenol ethers leads to three different classes of isoquinolines and phenanthridines from which related
A highly efficient direct asymmetricreductiveamination of aromatic ketones catalyzed by an iridium complex of Josiphos-type binaphane ligands was described. This concise and practical method provided chiral amines in high yields and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).