Chemoselective C-benzylation of unprotected anilines with benzyl alcohols using Re2O7 catalyst

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo4028598

An unprecedented dehydrative C-C bond formation between unprotected anilines with benzyl alcohols is disclosed. Re₂O₇ catalyst (5 mol %) at elevated reaction temperature (80 °C) provided C-benzylanilines with high to excellent yields and with good chemoselectivities (over N-alkylation). A probable mechanism has been proposed based on mechanistic studies.