Mono-N-methylation of anilines with methanol catalyzed by a manganese pincer-complex
Abstract
The selective mono-N-methylation of anilines derivs. was achieved under mild conditions using inexpensive methanol as C1 source. Under hydrogen borrowing conditions, using a tridentate PN3P manganese pre-catalyst (5 mol%), a catalytic amt. of base (20 mol%), for 24 h at 120 °C, a large variety of anilines derivs. was methylated in good to excellent yield. Mechanistic investigations allowed us to isolate and characterize by X-ray diffraction studies a de-aromatized manganese intermediate.