Sodium cyanoborohydride imines, chemoselectivity

Sodium cyanoborohydride is remarkably chemoselective. Reduction of aldehydes and ketones are, unlike those with NaBH pH-dependent, and practical reduction rates are achieved at pH 3 to 4. At pH 5—7, imines (>C=N—) are reduced more rapidly than carbonyls. This reactivity permits reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones under very mild conditions (42). 

Catalytic hydrogenation reduces the imine (as the protonated iminium ion) but not the ketone from which it is formed. This chemoselectivity (reduction of iminium ions but not ketones) is also displayed by sodium cyanoborohydride and we can add NaCNBH3 to complete our table of reactivity, if we insert imines at the left-hand end. 

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