Reductive and Catalytic Mono-Alkylation of Primary Amines Using Nitriles as an Alkylating Agent

Abstract

The selective alkylation of primary amines to secondary amines represent an important class of chemical transformations that have found extensive use in the construction of a tremendous range of natural products, bioactive molecules and industrial materials. We have developed the selective and reductive mono-N-alkylation method of aromatic and aliphatic both amines using nitriles as an alkylating agent. This method is particularly attractive to provide alkyl halides or carbonyl compounds free, environmentally benign and applicable alkylation method of amines.

Scheme 1