Reductive amination

Definition

Reductive amination is a chemical process that combines an aldehyde or ketone with an amine in the presence of a reducing agent to form a substituted amine. This method is widely used for synthesizing primary, secondary, and tertiary amines from simpler organic molecules.

Related terms

Aldehyde:

An organic compound containing a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to at least one hydrogen atom.

Ketone:

Organic compounds characterized by having a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms.

Amine:

Nitrogen-containing organic compounds derived from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms with organic groups