A series of Mn(I) catalysts containing imidazole-based chiral PNN tridentateligands with controllable ‘side arm’ groups have been established, enabling the inexpensive base-promoted asymmetric hydrogenation of simple ketones with outstanding activities (up to 8200 TON) and good enantioselectivities (up to 88.5% ee). This protocol features wide substrate scope and functional group tolerance, thereby
enantioselective 1,2-reduction of α,β-unsaturated ketones has been achieved using a chiral pincer Mn catalyst. A series of PNN tridentate ligands containing benzimidazole groups were designed with ferrocene as the backbone, which coordinated with Mn to form the active catalyst. This mild process represents a general method to access chiralallyl alcohols with high catalytic activity (up to 9500 TON) and high enantioselectivity