Phosphino-amine (PN) Ligands for Rapid Catalyst Discovery in Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrogen-Borrowing Alkylation of Anilines: A Proof of Principle

A general synthetic protocol for the synthesis of simple phosphino-amine (PN) ligands is described with 19 ligands being isolated in good yields. High-throughput ligand screening uncovered the success of two of these ligands for aromatic amine alkylations via ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen borrowing reactions. The combination of N,N′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-N,N′-dimethylpropylenediamine with a ruthenium(II) source and potassium hydroxide (15 mol%) is the optimal system for selective monobenzylations of aromatic amines (method A). Over 70% isolated yields have been achieved for the formation of 14 secondary aromatic amines under mild reaction conditions (120 °C and 1.05 equivalents of benzyl alcohol). On the other hand, N,N-bis(diphenylphosphino)-isopropylamine was the ligand utilized for both selective monomethylation and monoethylation reactions of aromatic amines (method B). Here the alcohol is charged as both the reaction medium and substrate and 9 examples are disclosed with all isolated yields exceeding 70%. These methods have been applied to the synthesis of important synthetic building blocks based on aminoferrocene.