The regiospecific reduction of masked 1, 3-dicarbonyl compounds to the corresponding saturated monocarbonyl 3 or iminic 4 compounds via 3-amino-2-alkenimines 1 is described. The formation of 3 or 4 can be explained in terms of a double reduction process from 1. A simple method for the synthesis of primary and secondary amines 6 is also described.
