Reductive amination is considered as the most popular and established approaches which provide rapid access to different types of amines, important intermediates for the production of natural products and organic compounds, and also synthesis of essential precursors needed for drug development in chemical and biological systems. The current review discusses the progress of reductive amination catalysis from 2008 to the latest one. Also, efficacy of different reagents including organocatalysts, asymmetric and symmetric complexes of Ir, Rh, and Ru, boron, silicon reagents for enantio-, chemo-, and diastereoselective reactions is illustrated under various reaction conditions with a focus on the yield of the obtained products. Biocatalytic reductive amination for the synthesis of chiral amines and also utility of this reaction for the development of bioactive molecules are also briefly described.
