Patent ID: 7863486

Claim:
A process for preparing an amine, which comprises: cathodically reducing in an electrochemical cell an oxime derivative of formula (I) where R is an unsubstituted or substituted C 1-6 -alkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted C 2-6 -alkenyl, wherein said substituted C 1-6 -alkyl and said substituted C 2-6 -alkenyl are substituted by at least one substituent selected independently from the group consisting of phenyl, Oâ€”C 1-6 -alkyl, NHâ€”C 1-6 -alkyl, N(C 1-6 -alkyl) 2 , OH and NH 2 ; R 1 is H; C 1-6 -alkyl or C(O)â€”C 1-6 -alkyl; and A is a substituted or unsubstituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered hydrocarbon ring which is saturated or has a double bond and in which at least one CH 2 group is optionally replaced by â€”Oâ€”, â€”Sâ€” â€”NHâ€”, â€”Nâ• or â€”N(C 1-6 -alkyl)-, wherein said substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered hydrocarbon ring is substituted by at least one substituent selected independently from the group consisting of phenyl, C 1-6 -alkyl, Oâ€”C 1-6 -alkyl, NHâ€”C 1-6 -alkyl, N(C 1-6 -alkyl) 2 , OH and NH 2 ; wherein, based on the ring carbon bearing the substituent R, the oxime derivative has an excess of the R or S form of at least 10%.