Reductive Amination with Zinc Borohydride. Efficient, Safe Route to Fluorinated Benzylamines

Abstract
Fluorinated benzylamines are synthesized in high yields by reductive alkylation of secondary amines with appropriate fluoroaldehydes using a combination of zinc chloride and zinc borohydride. The present method offers an alternative to toxic sodium cyanoborohydride and is adaptable to multigram-scale preparations.