A Ruthenium-Based Catalytic System for a Mild Borrowing-Hydrogen Process

The alkylation of arylamines using stoichiometric amounts of aliphatic and benzylic alcohols in the presence of tBuOK was carried out at 55 °C using a low catalyst loading of [Ru(cod)Cl2]n/PTA (1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane). The overall borrowing-hydrogen process does not require a controlled nitrogen atmosphere, and it could also be carried out at room temperature using higher loading of base. A wide range of substrates can be used in this transformation, and it has a good tolerance of different substituents. This catalytic system proved also to be efficient for other hydrogen-transfer reactions such as a tandem oxidation/C-C coupling between 1-phenylethanol and primary alcohols.