Chiral gold phosphate catalyzed tandem hydroamination/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation enables access to chiral tetrahydroquinolines.

A highly efficient chiral gold phosphate-catalyzed tandem hydroamination/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reaction is described. A series of chiral tetrahydroquinolines were obtained in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. In this reaction, the gold catalyst enables both the hydroamination step as a π-Lewis acid and the asymmetric hydrogen-transfer process as an effective chiral Lewis acid.