Dedicated to the late Prof. Keith Fagnou on the 20th anniversary of the start of his academic career.
A nickel-catalyzed aminomethylation of aryl or heteroaryl iodides or bromides for the preparation of protected primary benzylamines is reported. This cross-electrophile reductive protocol engages carbamate-protected, glycine-derived N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHP) esters in an efficient decarboxylative cross-coupling in only two hours. The catalyst and NHP ester reagents are commercially available or can be synthesized in one step on a decagram scale with no chromatography.
Key words
cross-electrophile - glycine - hydroxyphthalimide esters - decarboxylative cross-coupling - aminomethylation - benzylamines