Thei ridium-catalyzed highly regioselective transfer hydrogenation of av ariety of 2-substituted and2 ,9-disubstituted 1,10-phenanthrolines under mild conditions with formic acid as the hydrogen source is described. In the presence of ac atalytic amount of the iridium complex [Cp*IrCl 2 ] 2 , the transfer hydrogenation proceededs moothly in 1,4-dioxaneu nder ligand-free conditions,e xclusively leading to ar ange of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,10-phenanthroline productsi nh igh yields.T he catalyst generated in situ from [Cp*IrCl 2 ] 2 and (R,R)-(CF 3 ) 2 C 6 H 3 SO 2 -dpen [N-(2-amino-1,2-diphenylethyl)-3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzenesulfonamide] could efficiently catalyze the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of these 1,10-phenanthrolinesi ni sopropyl alcohol (i-PrOH)t oa fford chiral 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,10-phenanthrolines in high yields with up to > 99% ee.T he key to the success of the reduction is the choice of solvent and hydrogen source.