Iron catalysed direct alkylation of amines with alcohols

The selective conversion of carbon-oxygen bonds into carbon-nitrogen bonds to form amines is one of the most important chemical transformations for the production of bulk and fine chemicals and pharma intermediates. An attractive atom-economic way of carrying out such C-N bond formations is the direct N-alkylation of simple amines with alcohols by the borrowing hydrogen strategy. Recently, transition metal complexes based on precious metals have emerged as suitable catalysts for this transformation; however, the crucial change towards the use of abundant, inexpensive and environmentally friendly metals, in particular iron, has not yet been accomplished. Here we describe the homogeneous, iron-catalysed, direct alkylation of amines with alcohols. The scope of this new methodology includes the monoalkylation of anilines and benzyl amines with a wide range of alcohols, and the use of diols in the formation of five, six- and seven- membered nitrogen heterocycles, which are privileged structures in numerous pharmaceuticals.