Convenient lanthanum-mediated synthesis of bulky tert-alkyl amines from nitriles

Abstract

Tert-alkyl amines can be conveniently prepared in one step from nitriles by a double addition of ethyl or propyl Grignard reagent mediated by a commercially available lanthanum chloride–lithium chloride complex solution. The reaction operates on a variety of benzonitriles, with several heterocyclic nitriles and an alkyl nitrile also being suitable substrates.