A Convenient Synthesis of Aminomethyl Ketones (α-Amino Ketones)

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1990-26959

Several N,N-diformylaminomethyl ketones 3 were prepared by treating the respective bromomethylketone 1 with sodium diformylamide in acetonitrile at room temperature.This reaction produced from N-formylaminomethyl ketones 4 when ethanol was used as the solvent.One of the formyl groups of N,N-difomylaminomethyl ketones was selectively removed by using a catalytic amount of sodium or potassium hydroxide in alcohol to the corresponding N-formylaminomethyl ketones 4.The formyl groups of both N,N-diformyl- and N-formylaminomethyl ketones could be easily removed by either5percent hydrochloric acid in ethanol or 6N hydrochloric acid to give the corresponding aminomethyl ketone hydrochlorides 5.These reactions are general and give high yield of the products.