Abstract Sodium hypophosphite has been used as an efficient hydrogen donor in the transfer hydrogenation of aliphatic and aromatic ketones in the presence of [RuCl 2 (p- cymene)] 2 and 2, 2′-bipyridine in water. The corresponding alcohols were isolated in moderate to excellent yields (39–95%). Good chemoselectivity was observed with ester, nitrile and halide functionalities in the ketones not being reduced. An enantioselective ...