ZrCl4/Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridine is a mild and highly efficient reagent combination for the direct reductive amination.Weakly basic amines such as anilines substituted by electron-withdrawing group and heteroaromatic amines can be reductivelyalkylated with electron rich aldehydes and ketones under mild conditions to form the secondary amines in excellent yields. ZrCl4 / Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridine is a mild and highly efficient reagent combination for the direct reductive amination. Weakly basic amines such as anilines substituted by electron-withdrawing group and heteroaromatic amines can be reductivelyalkylated with electron-rich aldehydes and ketones under mild conditions to form the secondary amines in excellent yields.