The Ruthenium Catalyzed N-Alkylation of Amides with Alcohols

Abstract
Amides reacted with primary alcohols in the presence of a catalytic amount of RuCl2(PPh3)3 at 180 °C to give the corresponding N-monoalkyl amides in fairly good yields. Thus, benzamide reacted with 1-octanol to give N-octylbenzamide in 76% yield with excellent product selectivity. Little esterification of amides with alcohols occurred and selectivity to the N-alkylation was high. Most of the amides gave N-monoalkyl amides but no N,N-dialkyl amides. But formamide reacted with 1-butanol to give N,N-dibutylformamide, as well as N-butylformamide, in low yield. RuCl2(PPh3)3 was the most effective catalyst for this reaction and RuHCl(PPh3)3 also had some catalytic activity.

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