Abstract
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The imine formed from 1-acetylferrocene and (R)-(+)-1-phenylethylamine undergoes a highly diastereoselective reduction with sodium borohydride to give, after a single recrystallisation, diastereoisomerically pure (R,R) amine (2a), which has been converted to (R)-(-)-1-ferrocenylethyl acetate in high optical purity (>98%).