Ruthenium-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative amination of aminoalkenes enables rapid synthesis of cyclic imines.

Abstract

[RuCl2(CO)3]2/dppp is shown to be a highly effective catalyst system for the first intramolecular oxidative amination of a variety of aminoalkenes when it is used concomitantly with K2CO3 and allyl acetate in N-methylpiperidine, to give the corresponding cyclic imines and indoles in excellent yields. For example, the reaction of 2,2-diphenyl-4-pentenyl-1-amine performed in the presence of 2 mol % of [RuCl2(CO)3]2, 4 mol % of dppp, K2CO3, and allyl acetate in N-methylpiperidine at 140 degrees C for 8 h gives 4,4-diphenyl-2-methyl-1-pyrroline in quantitative (>99%) yield.