Some kinds of N-formyl cyclic amine derivatives were found to be effective activators for trichlorosilane to reduce ketones. Namely, a catalytic amount of these activators were sufficient to complete the reduction of ketones with trichlorosilane, and the reduction of ketones by trichlorosilane with optically active activators gave enantiomerically enriched sec-alcohols in some extent of optical yields (up to 51% ee). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.